SAMRO Increases its Radio and General Royalty Distribution by 62.42% to R242 Million

The Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO) has successfully distributed a staggering R242 million for the Radio and General (R&G) Category for FY2024, marking an unprecedented surge and a new record.

The current year’s distribution in the R&G Category surpasses the previous high of R149 million distributed in FY2023 by an impressive 62.42%. This remarkable accomplishment underscores SAMRO’s unwavering commitment to enhancing its members’ financial well-being and supporting the overall health of the music industry.

This significant increase is primarily attributed to SAMRO’s highest licensing revenue. By effectively negotiating and securing more comprehensive licensing agreements with radio stations and general music users, SAMRO has substantially increased its income from these sources. The proactive approach in expanding and enhancing licensing deals has broadened the scope of music usage rights and ensured that many music creators benefit from the royalties collected.

Prudent expenditure management, improved operational efficiencies and cost-saving measures enabled more of the collected revenues to be available for distribution to rights holders. SAMRO’s diligent research and documentation of compositions have significantly improved identification rates, now averaging 99.5%. Furthermore, SAMRO-corporated Music Recognition Technology (MRT) aimed to improve the identification rate for marginalised music as part of strategy enhancement. These improvements have led to successful royalty payments to members, including authors, composers, and publishers whose music was featured on radio and other general platforms.

The near-perfect rate of identifying which members’ works were used and accurately attributing those uses to the correct rights holders ensured that royalties were meticulously allocated. This maximises the distribution amount and reinforces trust and satisfaction among members. SAMRO’s success in increasing royalty distributions is further demonstrated by the improvement in the Distribution Identification Rate, which reached a historic high of 86% in 2023. This metric underscores SAMRO’s enhanced ability to accurately match music to its rightful owners, ensuring that SAMRO members are compensated fairly for their musical works.

SAMRO administers the performing rights of its members—music composers, authors, and publishers. Representing tens of thousands of members locally and across approximately ten other African countries, SAMRO’s efforts ensure that music creators are fairly compensated for publicly broadcasting their musical works.

As SAMRO continues to advocate for legal and ethical music usage, it remains essential for all music users, including businesses such as promoters, pubs, clubs, and broadcasters, to acquire a Music Usage Licence. By securing a Music Usage Licence through SAMRO’s efficient online registration process, music users contribute directly to a thriving ecosystem that benefits all stakeholders in the music industry. This collective effort is crucial in maintaining a vibrant and sustainable musical landscape in Southern Africa. Additionally, SAMRO extends its gratitude to all its members and licensed music users for their roles in achieving this milestone.