The Eastern Caribbean Collective Organisation for Music Rights (ECCO) Inc., the St. Lucia based music royalty collection organization, will today make royalty payments to its members and members of affiliates totaling over $450,000.  This is a record achievement by this small regional organisation surpassing its disbursement of $¼ Million made in 2011.

With further distributions scheduled for later in the year (September and December) in respect of Royalties for Jingles (music in advertisement) and for Major Live Events (Carnivals, St. Lucia Jazz, St. Kitts Music Festival & World Creole Music Festivals, etc.).  ECCO’s total disbursement for the year could top the half million mark which will be double the total disbursement of last year.

ECCO General Manager Steve Etienne says “As revenue from record/CD sales have declined dramatically in our region, songwriters and music publishers are looking more and more towards ECCO for support.  Therefore, it is imperative that the level of royalty payment they receive relate to the use of their musical works.  However, whilst collection levels in St. Lucia and Dominica continue to be relatively healthy, the organization is under achieving in the other OECS territories where only a few of the major events and music users are licensed”. Etienne adds, “Members at our recent AGM urged us to step up legal action against abusers of their music rights and as a result we will be very busy in the Courts across the ECCO territories”.

ECCO is an association of composers, songwriters and music publishers and is the legal entity responsible for administering the performing rights of its members and members of Affiliated Societies in the OECS.  Through reciprocal agreements with Affiliated Societies worldwide ECCO has control of the world’s music repertoire, that is to say, ECCO is responsible for licensing all public use of music in the OECS.