In a statement signed by the Management of Ultima Limited on Thursday evening, the leading production company claimed that it has been making the annual statutory payments required for the use of musical works for both local and international artistes on the Project Fame show.
The statement reads; “As Nigeria’s leading TV production company, Ultima Limited (Ultima) has produced the international format Project Fame (PF)for the last 5 years.
“In the first two years, Ultima paid the Performing and Mechanical Rights Society Ltd/Gte (PMRS) – which was the government approved collecting agency at the time, for all musical works that Ultima used; and from the third year when PMRS became Copyrights Society of Nigeria (COSON), Ultima paid COSON for all the songs used in those years.
“For the past 5 seasons of PF therefore, Ultima has annually made the statutory payments due and required for the use of musical works for both local and international artistes used on the Project Fame show. As is standard practice all over the world, rather than maintain individual agreements with each one of the hundreds of artistes whose songs we use, we have a single agreement with their collection body (COSON) who in turn is responsible for dealing with each individual artiste! COSON is responsible for collecting such payments on behalf of Nigerian artistes.
“Ultima duly paid COSON for use of such music and as such if Paul Play has any issues with payment of royalties for the use of his musical, works it should be worked out with COSON and not Ultima nor MTN.
