Yesterday, parliament passed the, Copyright and Neighbouring Rights (Amendment) Bill 2025, a major reform that is expected to reshape how artists, producers and rights holders earn from their work. While much of the public debate focused on Clause 9, the new law introduces several key changes that creators need to understand.
- Written contracts are now mandatory
The law now requires all copyright agreements, including assignments, licences and transfers to be in writing. This is a major shift in an industry where verbal deals have been common. Going forward, artists will have stronger legal backing, as undocumented agreements may not hold up.
- Caller ringback tone (CRBT) revenues clarified
The amendment introduces a defined revenue-sharing model for telecom services like caller ring back tones. 30% goes to authors (songwriters/composers). 30% goes to performers (artists) This recognises both groups as separate rights holders, ensuring each earns directly from their contribution.
- Clause 9: CMOs can now set fees
This is the most talked-about provision. The law allows Collective Management Organisations (CMOs) to set fees, in consultation with their members for the commercial use of music and other works. This means businesses such as bars, radio stations, TV stations, and hotels will be expected to pay for using copyrighted content, with a clearer legal basis for enforcement.
- 70/30 rule on royalties
The law now requires CMOs to distribute at least 70% of collected revenue to artists, while retaining no more than 30% for administration. This aims to improve transparency and ensure that creators receive a larger share of the money generated from their work.
- Stronger digital protections
The amendment introduces provisions to help address online piracy, including mechanisms for taking down unauthorized use of creative content on digital platforms.
With all the above in play, however, it should be noted that some proposals were dropped. Most notably, a proposed clause on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and copyright was removed, leaving questions around AI-generated content and training data unresolved.
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