The conflict with Spotify continues to boom because it has not yet determined what will be done with the two articles that the platform demands to be changed – for which it threatened to leave the Uruguay – that is why the ruling coalition assured that they will review the proposals.
The nationalist senator, Jorge Saravia, assured El País that “the position of the government coalition bench is to review the two articles.” In that sense, the leader assured that the articles will be corrected or they will be removed. “Mainly 285,” Saravia explained because the approval of this proposal in Deputies It also generated criticism from Ministry of Education and Culture.
The modifications that were proposed in the rendering of accounts for which he claims Spotify have to do with two articles: 284 and 285. The first is based on the addition of the social networks and the internet like other formats by which, if a song is reproduced, the performer has the right to a economic remuneration.
On the other hand, the modification of article 285 proposes that “the agreements entered into authors, composers, performers, directors and screenwriters regarding their power of public communication and making phonograms and audiovisual recordings available to the public” have the right to fair and equitable remuneration.
What is Spotify’s claim?
According to Spotify, the modifications proposed in the Accountability for the law that regulates copyright in Uruguay would imply an additional payment to what the company already provides, something that “would severely affect the ability to invest and provide services at reasonable prices to consumers.” On the other hand, they highlighted that, despite the platform’s great popularity, its gross margins are lower than traditional record stores or radio stations.
In that sense, they assured that “with this historically low margin” they must cover the business operating costsincluding promotion of local and global repertoire, data portals and other tools for artists and their teams to develop new audiences inside and outside our platformdeveloping personalized recommendations for fans, and investing in their top-notch music equipment.
On the other hand, since Spotify They highlighted the importance of their company in terms of growth of music in Uruguay. “We have played a pivotal role in reversing the decline of the music industry, which was plagued by piracy. Thanks to streaming, the music industry in Uruguay grew by 20% last year alone, to the benefit of artists, composers and those who support them,” explained the letter sent to the leader of the Ministry of Education and Culture, Pablo Da Silveira.
The controversies generated around the platform
In addition to the claims Spotify, was added Uruguayan Record Chamber (CUD) who, in agreement with the Swedish company, assure that the changes proposed by the bill affect and endanger their activity. With this, several repercussions were generated within the political arc, several with the intention of conciliating and others that were not.
Inside of the National Partythe senator Jorge Gandini established that it intends to generate a consensus among the CUD and the Uruguayan Society of Interpreters (Sudei) – one of the main organizations that declare the modification necessary – after listening to the proposals and trying to translate them into the wording. However, if that does not happen, he assured that he will vote in favor of the changes.
The senator for Town meeting, Guillermo Domenechassured that he will vote in favor of the modification of the articles in the Accountability since he assures that the party “gives them the impression that, in many cases, these platforms profit from the work of others.” For her part, the white senator, Carmen Asiaín, He assured El País that these modifications do not entail extra spending, but rather presuppose a better “distribution of resources among all participants.”
The sector of Citizens also gave his opinion on the matter and the leader of the movement, Adrian Pena, told El País that he was in favor of the interpreters’ position. Added to this is the opposition who spoke out in favor of the modifications, based on the statements of the Frente Amplista senator, Oscar Andrade, who assured that he shares the essence of the changes since it seems logical to protect “the most unprotected part, without which there is no artistic achievement.”
Source: Ambito
