The Royalty Controversy of LMKN: Musicians Cannot Make Their Songs Free - The State Still Charges Fees

Kapanlagi.com - The withdrawal of royalties by the National Collective Management Institution (LMKN) continues to generate controversy among music industry players and the general public. The regulations that are supposed to provide protection and certainty for musicians have come under scrutiny for being confusing and not widely socialized.

Several business players have even complained about the lack of clarity regarding who should pay, how much, and how the distribution of royalties is conducted. Not only business players, but musicians are also beginning to question the clarity of these regulations.

One of them is the indie-pop band Aviwkila, which made headlines by stating that their songs could be played for free by business players.

1. Not Compliant with the Law

In a viral video post on social media, Aviwkila mentioned that they want their music to be enjoyed without burdening MSMEs and small business actors with royalty costs. The video received praise for being pro-people and supporting the local creative industry.

However, this noble policy did not last long. Recently, Aviwkila made an official statement that they were forced to retract the policy. The reason is that they were constrained by Law Number 28 of 2014 concerning Copyright.

"Yes, because it turns out that it does not comply with the laws in this country," said Uki Aviwkila.

2. Without Any Coercion

© Instagram/aviwkila

"Therefore, without any coercion from any party, we consciously retract our statement and stance from a few days ago regarding the direct granting of permission because it is hindered by law," explained Thana Aviwkila.

Law Number 28 of 2014 states that the commercial use of copyrighted works must still obtain permission and be subject to royalties through official institutions like LMKN. In other words, even if musicians have declared the exemption for the use of their songs, the state through LMKN still has the right to collect royalties from business actors.

Aviwkila stated that they support the royalty system for the sustainability of song creators' livelihoods, but still highlight that the ongoing regulatory process is not yet ideal.

3. Minimal Socialization

By the public, socialization is considered very minimal, while the existing provisions have not been transparently outlined, such as the list of songs included in the LMKN data collection, and how the funds are redistributed to musicians.

LMKN itself, through statements on its official website and interviews with various media, emphasizes that this institution carries out the state's mandate to manage and distribute royalties to song creators and related rights holders.

4. Continuously Criticized

LMKN states that royalties must still be paid by parties utilizing songs for commercial purposes, such as restaurants, cafes, shopping centers, and so on.

However, the public response remains critical. Many feel that the LMKN mechanism is not yet transparent, from the data collection of protected songs to the reporting mechanism of song plays by business actors.

(kpl/tdr)