KARAOKE operators have been slapped with new fees for the use of music in their lounges by the Composers and Authors Society of Singapore (Compass).
It is asking these businesses to pay for copyrights of the music and lyrics used, even though the KTV venues are already paying licensing company Innoform Entertainment for video and imaging rights.
Compass said it might charge $3 per song. No details on when it would begin implementing the charges were immediately available. The society could not be reached for comment at press time.
Despite the additional fees they have to pay, karaoke operators my paper spoke to said that they will not charge their patrons more just yet.
K-ster Inc executive director Desmond Foo, 36, said: ?I will not increase prices as long as new charges from Compass do not exceed half of what I?m paying Innoform currently.?
Mr Foo, who owns K-ster KTV lounge in Chinatown, pays $30,000 to Innoform.
Karaoke joint Mono, which comes under the St James Group, will be absorbing the extra costs.
Group chief executive Dennis Foo, 55, said: ?There are too many copyright entities that operators have to deal with. Also, the costs are very high for smaller players. They should follow the lead of the Government and create a one-stop payment infrastructure.?
A music-industry expert, who did not wish to be named, felt that KTV operators needed to be educated on copyrights.
He said: ?They need to be aware that they are treading a fine line when it comes to publishing rights.?
