News > Media and Entertainment law

Law firm Adams & Adams has long been the protector and champion of creative rights in South Africa.   Danie Strachan and Nishan Singh, partners and experts in entertainment law at the law firm, say the time has come for musicians and record labels to get to grips with the fundamental legal issues which will ultimately determine their success and the South African music industry’s growth in the future.

MTN SAMA awards winner – Solly Mahlangu tackles contracts and trademarks with law firm Adams & Adams

 Mwamba Mwamba!  Winner of the 2012 MTN SAMA Awards best Traditional Faith Album.  The exuberant title reflects the work of multi-award winning gospel singer Pastor Solly Mahlangu who spent two years travelling across South Africa and both East and West Africa in search of inspiration for his latest album.

Guy Hobbs, a photographer from Cape Town, has recently filed court proceedings based on copyright infringement in a US District Court against Sir Elton John, Bernie Taupin (Sir Elton’s song writing partner and lyricist) and their company Big Pig Music.

The 18^th annual MTN South African Music Awards was held at Sun City on 29 and 30 April 2012. The new CEO, Randall Abrahams, and his team put together a world class awards ceremony, which has been tweeted to be the best MTN SAMA ever held!

On 25 June 2002, the Copyright Act and the Performers’ Protection Act were amended to introduce needle-time rights.  The term “needle-time rights” refers to the right of an owner of a sound recording (embodying a musical work) and the performer of the musical work, to receive a royalty in respect of the broadcast, or performance, of that sound recording. 

Chico Hamilton once said, “A lot of musicians aren't proud; they'll do other work, just to be able to play music. I guess that's the way it's always going to be - musicians will have to suffer to a certain degree in order to obtain their outlet”.

Mariette du Plessis, partner at Adams&Adams says she went to Design Indaba 2012, not quite knowing what to expect, but  the incredible creative talents in South Africa exceeded her expectations.

After a 20 year legal battle, the Federal Court of Canada has finally ruled that the well-known roar of the Metro-Goldwyn Mayer lion, which has been heard during the opening credits of movies produced by the film studio since 1924, can be registered as a trade mark in that country. The Registrar of Trade Marks had initially refused an application to register the sound trade mark application on the basis that it is not cable of being a trade mark.

Piracy: Definition – in the context of this article -

“a person who uses or reproduces the work or invention of another without authorisation”.

Bob Marley wrote - “Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights”. And that’s just what intellectual property law firm Adams & Adams has been doing for the past 100 years.  Protecting the rights of those in the entertainment industry, from musicians, and composers, to artists, authors and film makers.

South Africa has a treasure trove of indigenous stories which is passed down orally from generation to generation and while this culture of storytelling remains intact; it is transforming and entering new mediums such as films. Local films, such as Tsotsi, have received international acclaim and bear testament to the fact that South Africans are great storytellers. But success and popularity in the film industry ultimately attracts unwanted attention in the form of piracy!