REGGAENOMICS: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COPYRIGHT LAW AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE JAMAICAN MUSIC INDUSTRY BY SHARMA LATOYA TAYLOR A thesis submitted to the Victoria University of Wellington in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Victoria University of Wellington 2013 ABSTRACT One argument posits that copyright is necessary for incentivising creative expressions. To what extent does this hold true for individual copyright-based sectors in a developing nation’s economy? Although Jamaica’s Copyright Act 1993 complies with the major copyright treaties, little is known about whether (and how) the copyright regime allows the Jamaican music industry to foster national development. Accordingly, the focus of this thesis is to examine the developmental impact of the copyright system on the Jamaican music industry. This thesis traces the evolution of the local music industry and its complex interaction with copyright law. This research assesses the various approaches to economic development and highlights the limitations of a collective management-based approach and weaknesses in the individual rights management model. It also analyses the compatibility between a human development approach to copyright and the theoretical justifications for copyright. It points out substantive areas of the domestic copyright legislation that could be reformed in order to improve the statute’s applicability to the music industry insofar as development is concerned. This thesis adopts a qualitative methodological approach and uses interviews from 57 music industry participants. The findings suggest that societal context is as important as the legal rights, in giving copyright owners incentives to create. Historical, political, socio-cultural, economic and institutional factors play a key role in shaping stakeholders’ treatment of copyright. Music industry players’ experiences can help inform policymaking by fostering a better understanding of the implications of copyright protection for this vital sector of the economy. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS In Jamaican patois, there is a proverb which says “one one coco full basket.” Literally: you can fill a basket with coco (a potato-like edible root) by simply dropping them in one by one. This means that success is not achieved overnight. Instead, consistent contributions complete the job over time. So it is with the PhD process. Completing this thesis would have been impossible without the expert guidance of my supervisors: Professor Susy Frankel and Associate Professor Susan Corbett. I received valuable feedback from Professor Tony Angelo and my previous supervisor, Professor Geoff McLay. I am grateful to the New Zealand Government for funding this research through the award of a Commonwealth Scholarship. I appreciate the assistance from the academic and administrative staff at the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Graduate Research, Student Learning Support Services and in particular, Dr. Deborah Laurs (my “thesis therapist”). I am also thankful to the dedicated team at the Victoria International office, especially, the hardworking NZAID officers. My interviewees generously shared their time and expertise. Without their input, I would have had very little data to analyse. I salute their passion for the development of the music industry and hope that my research was able to do justice to that passion. Long live the sounds of Jamaica! My PhD journey was made enjoyable because of the support from friends in Jamaica and New Zealand. Kia ora! I dedicate this thesis to my heroes: my mother, Yvonne Christie, my brother Sean, and to the memory of my lion-hearted grandmother Josephine Walton (Rita) and my late father, Winston Taylor, who have always believed, against all odds, that I could succeed at anything I embarked on. I live to do you proud! I praise the Creator for the health and strength to do the work. When all else fades, your love endures. iii CONTENTS ABSTRACT ......................................................................................................................................................... II ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .............................................................................................................................. III CONTENTS .......................................................................................................................................................... 1 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .............................................................................................................................. 7 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION, BACKGROUND TO THE RESEARCH QUESTION, THESIS STRUCTURE AND METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................................................. 11 Overview ..................................................................................................................................................... 11 I BACKGROUND TO THE RESEARCH QUESTION ....................................................................................... 11 A The Economic Potential of Jamaica’s Music Industry ...................................................................... 13 B Trends in the International Copyright Regime Strengthening Copyright Protection ........................ 14 1 Domestic copyright lawmaking in response to TRIPS and other international agreements........................... 14 2 The economic benefits of TRIPS for developing countries ........................................................................... 16 C Limited Research on Copyright’s Impact on Development in Jamaica ............................................. 18 D Jamaica’s Development Needs .......................................................................................................... 19 1 Economic indicators ..................................................................................................................................... 20 2 The need for a national copyright policy ....................................................................................................... 21 E The Domestic Spread of Internet Technology .................................................................................... 22 II RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND THESIS STRUCTURE .......................................................................................... 24 III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................................... 25 A Research Design ................................................................................................................................ 25 1 Single-case study ........................................................................................................................................... 26 2 Document analysis ........................................................................................................................................ 27 3 Interviews ...................................................................................................................................................... 27 (a) Benefits and limitations of interviews ...................................................................................................... 29 (b) The way in which interview data was used .............................................................................................. 31 (c) Ethical considerations .............................................................................................................................. 31 4 Direct observations ........................................................................................................................................ 32 B Limitations and Concessions ............................................................................................................. 32 Chapter Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 33 CHAPTER TWO THE EVOLUTION OF THE JAMAICAN MUSIC INDUSTRY AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH DOMESTIC COPYRIGHT LAW .................................................................................................................... 34 Overview ..................................................................................................................................................... 34 I THE CULTURAL VALUE OF JAMAICAN MUSIC ......................................................................................... 35 1 A Traditional Cultural Value ................................................................................................................ 35 B Contemporary Cultural Value ........................................................................................................... 37 1 National identity ............................................................................................................................................ 37 2 Cultural identity of the socially oppressed..................................................................................................... 38 3 A means of protest and crime control ............................................................................................................ 38 4 Anti-oppression tool used globally ................................................................................................................ 39 5 Building community .....................................................................................................................................