What does Copyright protect? (Ideas/expression dichotomy) Copyright protects the expression of an idea from being copied without authority. It does not protect the concept or the idea. It also does not protect logos, symbols, titles, short phrases or factual information that may be contained in a copyright work. Authorship and Ownership under Copyright Law The first owner of a copyright work is its creator. An author in case of: • Literary work is the person who wrote the work. This also is true for software, which is treated as a literary work. • Musical works - the composer • Sound recording - the producer • Cinematographic work - the producer • Photograph - the photographer • Computer generated work - the person who caused the work to be generated. An author may, however licence or transfer his rights, wholly or in part, the same way physical property is dealt with. All assignments or licences must be in writing as required by the Copyright Act. This results in ownership being held by a person who is not the author. A person who creates a work during employment or on commission may own the copyright if there is agreement to that effect.

KECOBO BOARD & MANAGEMENT BIDS FAREWELL TO HON. KUTUNY There was pomp and colour yesterday as Kenya Copyright Board directors and management held a surprise party in honour of the outgoing Board chairman Hon. Joshua Kutuny. The party was held in Naivasha as a climax to a two day Board and management retreat that was used to refine and approve some Board policies and strategies that will help improve service delivery in KECOBO for the benefit of the sector. Directors and staff thanked Hon. Kutuny for offering visionary leadership during his term in office as KECOBO chairman. “After working with you in the Board, I have realised that you are a genuine and well-meaning leader. I know you are still going to remain a friend of KECOBO even after you leave the Board,” said director Agatha Alutalala as she prayed that he gets bigger and better things in life after his time in KECOBO. The directors reminisced their time in the Board with Hon. Kutuny and how he steered the Board into making consequential decisions that were meant to improve the welfare of the creatives. “I was impressed by your capacity as the chair to trend the middle ground and bring every one of us together for the good of the Board. Thank you for empowering the Board committees and giving them the freedom to operate,” said director Dan Aceda. The acting Executive Director Mr George Nyakweba described Hon. Kutuny as a leader who was always available for guidance and thanked him for putting the welfare of the creatives and the staff first. “The chairman has always been available whenever I needed him for guidance. He was always a phone call away. May god guide you to the right path,” said Mr Nyakweba. The senior staff members recalled how the chairman was so keen on their welfare noting that he held a meeting with all staff members when he was appointed as he sought to understand their challenges. Hon Kutuny was appointed as the Chairman of KECOBO in October 2023 and has steered the Board to make monumental decisions that have seen the improvement of the copyright sector and the welfare of the creatives. During his tenure, the Board stamped its authority to ensure that Collective Management Organisations (CMOs) are streamlined and those that refused to toe the line were denied license. The Board remains committed to ensure that creatives benefit from their talent and that 70 per cent of all royalties collected go to the creatives. It is during his tenure that the Blank Tape Levy was actualised.

The internet has become the foremost medium for intellectual property rights infringement. It is important for artists and creative’s to take positive measures to ensure that their rights are not infringed. How can you safeguard your work in the online media?

Your creativity evolves and so should your copyright records! With the NRR system, you can easily update your registered works, access them anytime and even print or reprint your certificate whenever you need it. Protecting your creativity has never been this seamless!

Creators often enter into copyright agreements without realizing how important they are. Whether you are licensing your work, assigning copyright, collaborating with other creators, signing with a publisher, or being commissioned to create content, a written copyright agreement helps define the rights and obligations of all parties. Before signing, ensure the agreement clearly identifies: ☑️The parties involved. ☑️The rights being licensed or assigned. ☑️Payment or royalty terms. ☑️Dispute resolution mechanisms. ☑️Conditions for termination. 📌 Remember: Keep a signed copy of every copyright agreement. Proper record-keeping can help protect your rights and provide valuable evidence in the event of a dispute.

COPYRIGHT IN STREAMING 1. What is streaming as relates to Copyright? Streaming is the continuous transmission of audio and/or audiovisual works over a computer network with little or no intermediate storage. It is playing audio and/or audiovisual files on a computer, tablet, or mobile phone in real time from a website or a Digital Service Provider (DSPs) platforms or applications at the same time as the files are transferred across a network. Examples of DSPs include Apple Music, Deezer, Spotify, Boomplay etc. 2. What is the difference between streaming, downloading and file sharing? • Ordinarily, when streaming even though there could be a temporally copy of the audio or audiovisual work that may be created, there is no copy that is stored at the user's end. • When downloading, a copy of the work is made and stored at the user’s end. • File sharing is a way of making files available on a network for others to copy. 3. What rights are involved in streaming Streaming involves rights that are exclusively held by the author of the work. They include the following rights: *Right to distribute *Right of making available to the public *Right to reproduction *Right to adaptations

What Can Be Protected by Copyright? Copyright protects original creative works that people bring to life through their skill, creativity and effort. These include: - Literary works: Books, novels, poems, plays, newspaper articles and reference materials. - Music and performances: Musical compositions and choreography. - Films and audiovisual works: Movies and other audiovisual productions. - Artistic works: Paintings, drawings, photographs and sculptures. - Computer-related works: Computer programs and databases. - Architectural works: Building designs and other architectural creations. - Other creative works: Advertisements, maps and technical drawings.

@KenyaCopyright in partnership with @WIPO and @IFRRO yesterday conducted a Technical Workshop on Collective Management in the Text and Image-Based Sector in Kenya which brought together representatives of KECOBO, publishers and Authors. The workshop was meant to strengthen the institutional and operational capacity of representatives of a future Reproduction Rights Organisation (RRO)/ Collective Management Organisation (CMO) in Kenya and to facilitate a constructive dialogue between any existing associations, with a view to exploring the possibility of their coming together to establish a single RRO/CMO.

@KenyaCopyright in partnership with @WIPO and @IFRRO today conducted a Technical Workshop on Collective Management in the Text and Image-Based Sector in Kenya which brought together representatives of KECOBO, publishers and Authors. The workshop was meant to strengthen the institutional and operational capacity of representatives of a future Reproduction Rights Organisation (RRO)/ Collective Management Organisation (CMO) in Kenya and to facilitate a constructive dialogue between any existing associations, with a view to exploring the possibility of their coming together to establish a single RRO/CMO.

Need help with online copyright registration? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions via nrr.copyright.go.ke/faq

Global Forum on IP and AI. In an AI-driven world, how should the IP system adapt and evolve to remain fit for purpose, maximizing the benefits of this new technology while ensuring that the human being remains at the heart of innovation and creativity?

In the rapidly evolving world of software and mobile apps development, understanding the importance of copyright and its protection is crucial. Did you know that software and mobile apps are intellectual property protected under copyright and trademark? Discover how to safeguard your software and the various components that make up a software or app, including the source code and graphic user interface.