# A Major TV Channel stole my music



## Allegro (May 29, 2016)

So I just came to know that a major TV and News channel network in Pakistan is airing some drama serial in which some portion of my music has been used as a background score without my consent, without any licensing rights or any notification.

So far, at least from what I've seen, only one track has been used. It has been sliced and different portions have been used in almost every other episode (a dozen or so episodes have been aired so far, nationally+Internationally).
The rest of the score sounds like it has been done by a single composer but whenever a certain character arrives, my track is played as if its the theme of that character. I still haven't contacted anyone yet. Don't know how to proceed actually. Don't have any media contacts in Pakistan but Maybe there is some authority in Pakistan that protects creative rights?

Is it okay to contact the TV channel first? The production team or directly file a complain elsewhere (although I have no idea where). Any help is greatly appreciated.


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## Richard Wilkinson (May 29, 2016)

Are you affiliated with a body like the PRS, ASCAP, BASCA? That would be my first port of call for legal advice.

Out of interest, how did you find out your music had been used?


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## Baron Greuner (May 29, 2016)

Happens all the time.


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## RiffWraith (May 29, 2016)

Allegro said:


> So I just came to know that a major TV and News channel network in Pakistan is airing some drama serial in which some portion of my music has been used as a background score *without my consent, without any licensing rights or any notification*.



How do you know this? Is it possible that it made it's way into the show via a library you are with?


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## Allegro (May 29, 2016)

A friend of mine told me that. Then she sent me the video recordings of where the track was used. For my own satisfaction, I quickly went through the serial clips from the channel's website to confirm that. I am certain that they did not get the track from any library. That's because I never put that track up for licensing, and never gave it away just like that.
The track wasn't of that genre (Rnb Instrumental) in my eyes to be in a decent library so I never sent it to any library. It went semi-popular 500K+ over YouTube and I left it there for some ad revenue and for future work opportunities. They have probably ripped the track right out of YouTube
Also, libraries never worked for me in any major way so I don't have many tracks there.


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## RiffWraith (May 29, 2016)

Are you with a PRO? If so, I am with wilx - go to your PRO and inquire as to what might be the best way to potentially get your name put on the cue sheets.

Cheers.


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## Soundhound (May 29, 2016)

Pakistan? Drone strike.


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## Greg (May 29, 2016)

Soundhound said:


> Pakistan? Drone strike.


MURICA! Our laws won't reach you but our bombs will.


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## doctornine (May 29, 2016)

Soundhound said:


> Pakistan? Drone strike.



Really ? I mean *really* ?


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## lucky909091 (May 29, 2016)

You should not intervene via your PRO. I am member of GEMA and I can tell you that you will never receive any royalties from Pakistan. Creative rights in Pakistan? - ha ha haaaa....
No chance, dude.

Do the following: 
write to the production company and tell them about your researches and your inquiry. 
Send them your original music attached as an MP3 file as a proof.

Then ask for 3.000 dollars compensation money and then hope that you will get an offer from them about 500 or 1.000 Dollars - if they feel guilty and if you are lucky.

If they do not feel guilty - tick it off.


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## SDCP (May 29, 2016)

lucky909091 said:


> Creative rights in Pakistan? - ha ha haaaa....
> No chance, dude.



Have to say I agree with lucky909091. My music is syndicated in about 30 countries, and some of them do not abide by copyright laws. It gets worse the further East you go. Western Europe-good, Eastern Europe-less money, going East from there-good luck if you get anything.


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## Allegro (May 29, 2016)

I am with PRS. Thanks guys for your help and realistic answers!
Going to try and see if i get some compensation from the production company.



Soundhound said:


> Pakistan? Drone strike.


I am originally from Pakistan so I do pay a visit every couple of years. Call me 72hours before the strike maybe?
I'll take my sampling rig there to sample the sounds of innocent people and children dying.


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## SillyMidOn (May 29, 2016)

Allegro said:


> I am with PRS. Thanks guys for your help and realistic answers!
> Going to try and see if i get some compensation from the production company.
> 
> 
> ...


Try with the PRS first of all, but as you haven't had the track published, I'm not entirely sure they can help.

If I were you I'd join BASCA, as then you have access to their lawyers, and they will at the very least be able to give you good advice, if not more.

As mentioned above though, Pakistan is a black hole when it comes to royalties. If you drew a world map with the territories where you can rely on performance royalties coming in, it would consist only of Europe (and as mentioned further East it gets worse), AUS/NZ, Japan, Honk Kong, North America, South Africa and a bit of Mexico, that's pretty much it.

I have never dealt with Kobalt, but this may also be a potential port of call for you: http://www.kobaltmusic.com/page-services-neighbouring-rights.php

Hope that helps and good luck.


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## Daryl (May 29, 2016)

SillyMidOn said:


> Try with the PRS first of all, but as you haven't had the track published, I'm not entirely sure they can help.


Theoretically that doesn't matter, because they own all of your music anyway. However, I'm afraid that I agree with most of the above. You are never going to see anything from that region, so whatever you do, don't spend any money getting legal advice.


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## pinki (May 29, 2016)

I once worked with a very successful Bollywood composer who happily told me on a visit to London, that in India 'copyright' meant the right to copy. 
Years later I got an aggressive phone call from his lawyers accusing _me_ of stealing _his_ tracks. 
(I had ended up with the raw multi tracks on my computer)
Sadly disappointing.
I've also worked with highly successful composers who steal all their software but that's another thread!


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## Soundhound (May 29, 2016)

Dumb 'Murika joke. Gallows humor. Couldn't resist. Sorry! 



doctornine said:


> Really ? I mean *really* ?


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## givemenoughrope (May 29, 2016)

In some alternate universe you could steal their content, upload it to YouTube and collect the adrev.


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## givemenoughrope (May 29, 2016)

Soundhound said:


> Dumb 'Murika joke. Gallows humor. Couldn't resist. Sorry!



I thought it was only gallows humor if you yourself were hanging from the gallows...ala "Always look on the bright side of life..."


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## Soundhound (May 29, 2016)

gal·lows hu·mor
_noun_

grim and ironic humor in a desperate or hopeless situation.


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## givemenoughrope (May 29, 2016)

Ok fine. But still can seem insensitive when you aren't the one getting blown up. 

Back to making tea,

-give 'em enough rope


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## rgames (May 29, 2016)

I'm not sure about PRS but in the US this kind of situation is common and completely legal in many instances, both for foreign and domestic shows. If you're a PRO member and the broadcaster has a crazy low rate or isn't sampled then you will get paid little or nothing. Zero-pay has happened to me several times (that I know of and can prove) and my PRO (ASCAP) doesn't care. The penny-plays happen hundreds (thousands?) of times each quarter.

But hey, remember to fight for your PRO.

rgames


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## Tanuj Tiku (Aug 3, 2016)

Don't waste your time on this. You are unlikely to see anything from there.

Indeed, we are still fighting for copyright in India. The progress has been immensely slow and fatally late for many composers of a now bygone era.

But, things are changing, slowly but they are.

You might just start seeing some returns from India within a few years. 

The problems is very complex here and carries the weight of years of abuse and a system which largely works financially without copyright. But we could be making far more if the people who are stealing from us, are stopped from doing so.

But from what I gather, there are plenty of other regions with similar problems.

I am however optimistic that India will overcome this issue but it will take some time.


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## lux (Aug 3, 2016)

to be honest, it's hard to get any royalty from areas where there isn't any istitutional collecting system.

I would turn this thing into a nice facebook announcement like "hey my music got recently featured in a Pakistan movie..." and peace


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