[kictanet] Music Piracy in Kenya - Government can Help

[Bernard Kioko [Bernsoft Interactive Limited]]

Hi,

Thank you so much. I believe this is as much help as we can ask for at this
point.

Kind regards

Bernard

-----Original Message-----
From: bitange at jambo.co.ke [mailto:bitange at jambo.co.ke] 
Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2012 4:08 PM
To: Bernard Kioko [Bernsoft Interactive Limited]
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions; bitange at jambo.co.ke
Subject: Re: Music Piracy in Kenya - Government can Help

Bernard Kioko
Please sue these people.  We shall support you.


Ndemo.




> Bwana Daktari,
>
>
>
> The music industry in Kenya is unable to grow. Companies like mine and 
> individuals are investing money in creating music but the same cannot 
> be commercialized effectively. One of the main problems is organized
piracy.
> Take for example the website WAPKID.COM, this website provides almost 
> every Kenyan song FREE FOR DOWNLOAD.
>
>
>
> The website at the moment lists the following as popular tags - 
> meaning these are the artists whose content is currently heavily being
downloaded.
>
>
>
> I understand that this website is offering pirated content because 
> Music works that is owned and copyright administered by myself is 
> being offered for FREE  here - the total investment I made for the 
> songs on offer is Ksh.
> 5million over the last 2 years and now I have no way to recover my 
> investment by sales since consumers can opt for free.
>
>
>
>      John De Mathew - Nimwamenyire Muno Wangari Wa Kabera - Aciari 
> Redsun
> -
> Shika Glasi Sam Kinuthia - Muiritu Wa Gikomba Onyi Papa Jey - Migingo 
> Dhi Muigai Njoroge - Muti Utari Matunda Kamaru - Nairobi Iraguo Ki 
> Kamande Wa Kioi - Kapusi Kakwa Salim - Kanyina Kanini Kamande Wa Kioi 
> - Githukia Tombo
>
>
>
> It's possible that these artists and many more don't actually know 
> that this exists BUT millions of Kenyans are downloading the music and 
> who is benefiting? The Network Operators who charge money based on the 
> data downloads. Infact, at one point, one of the mobile operators even 
> sent SMS advertisements to their subscribers urging them to access 
> content from WapKid.com
>
>
>
> As an industry, we are bleeding and desperately in need of government 
> support to stop this organized piracy that is benefiting local and 
> international organization at the expense of our content and therefore 
> killing and local development of content.
>
>
>
> As we seek your assistance, we are also doing something on our part. 
> We will be meeting next week Wednesday 3rd October 3pm at Panafric as 
> a music industry (Record labels, Kenya Copyright Board and Music 
> Copyright Society of Kenya) to discuss and work out strategies that 
> can help us especially in creating a clear licensing framework. We 
> will also be announcing an Anti-Piracy Campaign called "iCareforMusic" 
> whose aim is to educate the consumer on the benefits of getting music 
> from licensed partners.
>
>
>
> We believe that either the government or the courts can issue an order 
> blocking WAPKID.COM, MP3RAID.COM and any other website offering local 
> music from being accessed and this is fairly easy at the ISP level. 
> Before we take to the court route, we wish to seek a diplomatic route 
> first. If we can stop this organized piracy, investing in a song would 
> be worth it for the Artist, the Record Label and/or the music 
> publisher. And in overall, KRA would collect tax from all of us. 
> Everybody wins! Who knows, it would be even worth having a music 
> studio at Konza City.
>
>
>
> Bwana PS, how can you assist our music industry?
>
>
>
> Kind regards
>
>
>
> Bernard Kioko
> Chief Executive Officer,
> Bernsoft
>
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