Question NW3869 to the Minister of Communications

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15 December 2015 - NW3869

Profile picture: Van Dyk, Ms V

Van Dyk, Ms V to ask the Minister of Communications

(a) Have actors from the television drama Generations been paid royalties when the right to air the specified television drama was sold to television stations in other African countries, (b) to which television stations were the rights to air the specified television drama sold, (c) what percentage of the profit was paid to the specified actors, (d) were the specified actors represented in the negotiations and (e) how were the royalties paid to the specified actors calculated?

Reply:

a. Payment is not made at point of sale. Payment is made only after the auditors have signed off the financials.

b. Multichoice, Namibia Broadcasting Corporation, Television Jamaica and Swazi TV

c. As per the formula of two per cent of net profit, where net profit is calculated as gross sales less 35% overheads

d. No. The licencing of content is negotiated between the SABC as the content owner and the licencee. The actors are not a part of this as their relationship is with the producer and not with the SABC. The SABC pays them directly currently as this is a contractual obligation that was signed off historically. There is no collecting society currently since PAWE (Performing Arts Workers Equity) is no longer performing that role. PAWE represented some actors in the past and payments were made to the organisation to distribute to its members.

e. As per the formula in the contract (see point c above). Generations actors were paid directly i.e, into their bank accounts

MR NN MUNZHELELE

DIRECTOR GENERAL [ACTING]

DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS

DATE:

MS AF MUTHAMBI (MP)

MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS

DATE:

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