Elem www.iaajournals.org IAA Journal of Communication 3(1):155-172 ISSN: 2636-7262 ©IAAJOURNALS Promoting Disc Jockey (DJ) Business within the Bound of Media Ethics and Law in Nigeria Stephen Nwanchor Elem Department of Mass Communication Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria. ABSTRACT Copyrights infringement is a common feature globally. In the music industry, the case appears to be uncontrollable. Disk Jockeys (DJs) practitioners in Nigeria play music composed and released by the Artists they may have never come in contact with. They do this without permission from the original owners of such music. It is often done without knowing the legal implications. This study explores the legal implications of copyrights infringement for those in the music industry, especially the Nigerian DJs to understand the implications of copyrights infringement. Keywords: Disc Jockey, business, media, law and Nigeria. INTRODUCTION The greatest resource and bedrock of efficient, stable and properly regulated every civilization is its creativity, sector on behalf of the companies that are innovation and invention. All these boost into the business [2]. However, the Nigeria the economy of a nation. Creativity of a Copyright law supersedes all other rules nation, Nigeria inclusive, is covered by and regulations which we sometimes refer the copyright Law. The goal of copyright to as laws governing the practice of DJ protection is to encourage dissemination business in Nigeria. Hence, Dj business is of information, provide employment and controlled by the Copyright Act enforced economic benefit to the owner, and by the Nigerian Copyright Commission reserve the ownership of the right in it to (NCC) who monitors the legality of the the creator of the work. But this right has actions of the DJ stars in Nigeria. In the been constantly bastardised and infringed light of this the paper examines the upon by unauthorized acts of Nigerian copyright law in relation to the reproduction and distribution on a protection of musical works and sound commercial scale, called piracy [1]. Disc recording which are the exclusive rights Jockey like every other business has law granted to copyright owners and its governing the conduct of the artists in the infringement; types and causes of industry. Every Industry be it oil, infringement and then makes some telecoms, information technology, recommendations for the DJ industry to banking and the host of others are eradicate copyright infringement by governed by Laws, providing room for an Nigerian DJ Stars. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY Copyright law has a long history. The Columcille return the copied work to him. history of copyright law cannot be Columcille pleaded in defence that the complete without the mention of the copy made from the original copy did not Statute of Anne. This was the first take anything away from the original copy copyright legislation. The Declaration by and hence no wrong could have been King Diarmund while passing judgment in done. In making his decision, King respect of the dispute between Finnanin Diarmund declared that “to every cow her and Columcille in the 6th century in calf; and to every book its copy” [4]. This Ireland is said to have ushered copyright declaration set in motion the principles into the world [3], The issue that led to that protect works of creativity and the declaration was that Finnanin accused established that creative works should be Columcille of copying his bible without covered by copyright law. This same his permission and requested that principle has provided guidance in the 155 IAA Journal of Communication 3(1):155-172 Elem www.iaajournals.org development of copyright through the researcher undertakes to explore how the ages even to this present day [5]. It is Nigerian DJs can operate in the ways and against this background that the manners that respect the law. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Infringement on copyright laws in Nigeria provide the DJ stars in Nigeria and those has become a common feature. Literary willing to come into the profession with works, musical and artistic creations are information on copyright laws in Nigeria in many occasions used in public places and prepare our DJs to practice within the for entertainment without the approval of bound of law. the original owner. This prevents the Objective owner of such works from getting The main objective of this paper is to maximum financial benefits from the explore how the DJs in Nigeria can protect energy, time and creative investments in themselves against copyright laws. the production of the work. At present, Research Questions the government of Nigeria has risen to the 1. How does the copyright law affect the challenge by embarking on a drive to performance of Nigerian DJs in live catch and prosecute all those involved in shows? copyright infringement including DJs. The 2. How can the Nigerian DJ guide against problem of this study therefore is to becoming a victim of copyright laws? JUSTIFICATION FOR THE STUDY This is a study whose time has come. In financial rights creators have over their an age where the world is fast going works”. The New International Webster’s digital and permitting online access to all Comprehensive Dictionary of the English kinds of music, there is the possibility of Language (2010, p.228) defines copyright DJ practitioners getting the music for as “the exclusive statutory right of public show from the internet without the authors, composers, playwrights, artists, permission of the original author or publishers, or distributors to publish and creator of such music. Even before the dispose of their works for a limited time”. age of internet, it was common to see DJs Clarification of Conceptual and playing the music of other artists without Theoretical Issues permission of any form from the original Who is a DJ? owner of such music. This action There are several types of disc jockey. infringes upon intellectual property laws Radio DJs or radio personalities introduce that protect novelty ideas and the original and play music that is broadcast on creation of artists. The use of such Amplified Modulation (AM)Frequency material protected by copyright law put a Modulation (FM), digital or Internet radio DJ in a legal battle that can results in a stations. Club DJs select and play music heavy fine against the DJ or imprisonment in bars, nightclubs or discothèques, or at as the case may be. This is why it has parties, raves, or even in stadiums (Anon, become imperative to undertake this n.d). What a Disc Jockey (DJ) actually is study at this time when the and what he does is important to us in implementation of copyright laws in order to know the limit we can go to avoid Nigeria is gaining momentum. encroaching on other artists fields unless Copyright is a bundle of exclusive rights one considers it necessary to shift that are granted to the rights holder for a ground. It is all the more necessary if you limited period of time to authorize or take into account all the myths and prohibit the use of his works subject to delusions surrounding the craft of the certain exceptions and limitations. person behind the deck. Copyright protection is granted to DJ is a person who plays recorded music original expressions of ideas that have for other people. That‟s it, no more and been reduced to tangible formats. [6] no less. We can see from this definition opined that “Copyright is the moral and that it doesn‟t say that DJs necessarily 156 IAA Journal of Communication 3(1):155-172 Elem www.iaajournals.org make music, that they can scratch, or that variety of music styles that they have to a true DJ must play vinyl. Actually, most play during a set. As far as the talking of the myths surrounding the DJ‟s goes, it's pretty much limited to profession have to do with the fourth occasional announcements and shout outs word in this definition: “plays.” More (Anon, n.d) often than not, people think that a DJ Finally, we have the club DJs. Club DJs plays music just like a pianist or a play at night clubs. Surrounded by violinist does, whereas in reality he or she massive hype, club DJing is arguably the “simply” plays tracks made by (usually) most glamorous category of DJing that other people. exists. Tracks played at a typical club Of course, you can play records for your party normally belong to a narrow sub- audience in different ways. You can be genre of dance music (like hard house, simply kicking one tune in after the other uplifting trance, nu-disco etc.), and so it's one has ended. But you can also be not unusual for a club DJ to "specialize" in adding sound effects, doing smooth a particular genre and position transitions between the records so there themselves accordingly. Such are no gaps, mixing two or more tracks or, specialization, incidentally, allows for finally, scratching. The end result may be more freedom in manipulating the tracks so different from what you hear on the played. In clubs, some aspects of such original records that it‟s appropriate to manipulation (like mixing) is a must refer to the turntables as a musical (Anon, n.d) instrument (like in turntablism). Still, the Of course, the division of DJs into the gist of what DJs do remains unchanged: three types listed above is not set in they play tracks (Anon, n.d). stone. A club DJ may have their own radio DJs exist in different forms. Talking about show, during which they spin dance types of Disc Jockeys, we have three main tracks on air just like they‟d do it in a types: radio DJs, mobile DJs and club DJs.