THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Playing copyrighted songs for Onam celebrations at public events without either a licence or a no-objection certificate (NOC) may land you in trouble, with music licensing company Novex Communications warning corporate companies and organisations to comply with the provisions of the Copyright Act, 1957.
According to an email from the licensing agency, a public performance or communication of copyrighted music during Onam celebrations and events requires prior authorisation from the respective copyright owners or their duly authorised representatives.
Novex Communications is authorised to license music from several labels including Saregama, Yash Raj Films, and Zee Music. M Unnikrishanan, the firm’s representative for the Kerala region, told TNIE that the practice of obtaining NOC has been in place for several years but rarely followed.
“This is not specific to Onam celebrations this year. There are several corporate companies and DJ events that obtain the NOC for the New Year celebrations, Diwali, and Holi.
The use of sound recordings for commercial purposes, such as public performances in hotels, restaurants, lawns, resorts, malls, marriage halls, and other locations, is permitted under Novex’s rights. If the rule is not followed, it is a violation of the Copyright Act, 1957, and we have the right to move legally,” he said.
In the statement emailed to corporates and organisations, Novex said: “If your Onam celebrations involve playing recorded music, DJ performances, live performances, or dance performances featuring copyrighted tracks, or any other public use of music represented by our licensors, we request you to obtain the requisite NOC or license from Novex before the event by paying the applicable licence fee.”
According to officials, action will be taken against the organisations failing to obtain an NOC. The fee is fixed based on the number of participants at an event.
Under the Indian Copyright Act of 1957, playing pre-recorded music or hosting a live performance in any public or commercial space requires a Public Performance Licence (PPL).
Operating without permission from the copyright owners is a legal violation under Section 51, which is infringement of copyright. Earlier, in 2012, too, the Kerala High Court had issued an order preventing the playing of songs and sound records over which Mumbai-based Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) has exclusive copyright.