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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Bwana Daktari,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The website at the moment lists the following as popular tags – meaning these are the artists whose content is currently heavily being downloaded.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> 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 <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>As we seek your assistance, we are also doing something on our part. We will be meeting next week Wednesday 3<sup>rd</sup> 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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Bwana PS, how can you assist our music industry?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Kind regards<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Bernard Kioko<br>Chief Executive Officer,<br><b>Bernsoft</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>