Some time ago we reported on this site that directors of popular radio stations in The Netherlands have been caught fiddling with the royalties of the music they broadcast. MPs Mr. Schaart and Mr. Tavern have asked for clarification on this issue to the Secretary of Justice and the Minister of Economic Affairs. (...)

The Liberal MPs (VVD) addressed Fred Teeven, Secretary of State Security and Justice and Minister Maxime Verhagen of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation in response to media reports about managers of radio stations that earn money by cheating with music copyrights.

They fear that commercial radio stations put pressure on authors to let them sign a contract in which they transfer their copyrights to radio stations in exchange for airtime. In addition, they call it undesirable that directors of (commercial) radio stations such as Sky Radio and Radio 538, are listed in the official records as composer or co-composer. As a result, they receive money for songs they have not written. These practice may also jeopardises the integrity of the copyright administration at Buma-Stemra

The MPs want to place this matter onto the agenda of the government, to put an end to shady contractual arrangements on music copyrights.