At the moment there are heated debates, accusations and cross accusations across the board, Users and Members, Owners and Creators alike on why payments for use of music and other copyrighted works is essential. Before going into the nitty gritties of licensing it is perhaps paramount to zero in to what exactly licensing entails.Licensing in simple terms is a mechanism through which Owners of the works: Creators or Artists in lay man’s language, grant permission to another person or business establishment, it may be a DJ, a Radio Station or any institution to exercise the rights belonging to the copyright owner. In the territory of Botswana, COSBOTS has the sole right under the law to monitor usage of works, licence, collect and distribute to Owners for the broadcast, diffusing of any musical or non-musical works belonging to both local and foreign artists.COSBOTS also controls the right to publicly display protected works such as paintings, sculptures, engravings and works of applied art by business establishments.
