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Creator remuneration: CMS Committee publishes Government response to report

1 November 2024

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee has today published the Government response to the report on creator remuneration from the committee in the last Parliament.

The report, published in April, concluded that many successful musicians, actors, writers and visual artists were struggling to make a living due to gaps in copyright protection, a lack of support for freelancers and unpredictable returns from music streaming.

The response does not commit to the recommended private copying scheme (which industry bodies referred to in evidence as the ‘Smart Fund’) to ensure creators are compensated when people copy or move content such as songs to or between their devices but does state that ways to resolve loss of royalties will be considered.

On the subject of strengthening the rights of freelancers and those on contracts, the response commits to exploring the case for a Freelance Commissioner and points to the provisions in the Employment Rights Bill, introduced to Parliament last month.

In response to calls for more to be done to ensure creators are compensated when their works are used by artificial intelligence systems, the Government says it wants to strike the ‘right balance’, ‘[intends] to proceed carefully but with a degree of urgency in this area and hope to announce next steps soon’.

Chair comment

Chair of the CMS Committee, Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, said:

The report from the last Parliament has put the subject of fairness for our creatives firmly on the agenda and it is now up to the new Government to address gaps in copyright protections and support that are clearly leaving many struggling to get by.

The rise of artificial intelligence has had a significant impact on the creative industries across the board. The new Committee will be continuing to explore how such emerging technologies can be harnessed to help rather than hinder the ability of creators to enjoy a successful career.”

The Committee will be examining the ethical use of artificial intelligence in film-making as part of its British film and high-end TV inquiry which was announced yesterday.

Further information

Image credit: House of Commons