China: 6,600 pieces of music to be taken off from Karaoke

World
Europe

An announcement that asking over 6,600 music videos to be taken down from the list in Chinese Karaoke system has hit the headline of China's media recently.

Locally known as KTV, Karaoke in China was ordered by China Audio-Video Copyright Association (CAVCA), the only state-sponsored audio and video copyright management organization in China, to remove 6,609 songs by October 31.

Only specific versions of the songs will be taken off from the list. Instead, some version performed for the television show or by different singers can still be kept on the list, according to the website of the CAVCA. If these rights holders authorized the operators, there is no involvement of infringement.

Besides, after paying copyright licensing fees to the association and use the works legitimately, the KTV operators or video on demand manufacturers could avoid being sued by the rights holders and can run their business legally, according to the association.

Several KTV operators in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, have been hit. Since most KTV stores can provide around 30,000 and 50,000 songs, removing 6,000 songs from the list will greatly affect these stores, a manager at a local KTV told Yangcheng Evening News, a city newspaper in Guangdong.

Today, copyright holders including three major international record companies, Sony Music, Warner Bros. Records, Universal Music Group as well as some overseas companies and domestic companies have joined the association.

The list of the songs asked to be taken down. / Photo via People's Daily

The list of songs to be taken down. /Photo via People's Daily

On the list, songs by the most famous artists like Eason Chan, Jay Chou, Twins, from Hong Kong or Taiwan, are also affected.

The announcement has triggered a heated discussion on social media in China, where many karaoke-goers dear that KTV in China won't be as fun anymore.

The announcement has attracted public attention in China. /Photo via VCG

According to Global Times, over 90 percent of the music videos in China used in KTV has been authorized by the association.

"Most of my favorite songs have been deleted," said @Tangtangchenjiadaxiaojie, " I will sing these songs at home."

"What kind of song can we sing in KTV then?" said @BingxueningyingBing.

Meanwhile, the announcement has also won supports when they considering copyright protection.

"It is a wise way to help raise the copyright awareness among the public in China," commented @Azhan.

"Does it mean the price in KTV will be raised?" said @Chelsie Li.

"As the only state-sponsored copyright management organization in China, it is imperative to rectify the copyright protection in the market of audio and video," said Beijing News in one of its opinion piece, "Hopefully, the decision by the CAVCA could help clear up the chaotic music copyright market in China."