LibGuides: About Copyright: Campus Activities

Introduction

Learn more about copyright issues for activities on campus, such as:

Playing music
Screening films at events
Using scripts for plays

When running events and activities in the NTU campus, staff and students should take note of the below guidelines regarding the use of copyrighted works as part of those events.

Generally, a Public Entertainment or Arts Entertainment licence is required to provide any entertainment (unless exempted if a stipulated set of conditions is met).

Generally, you will need to obtain a public performance licence from the relevant copyright owners or collecting societies such as Music Rights (Singapore) Public Limited (MRSS) and/or, Composers and Authors Society of Singapore (COMPASS), depending on the type of music you intend to play at your event.

You may refer to MRSS' website and the COMPASS' website for more information.

Using scripts
Scripts are protected as original literary works. The performance of a script in public is one of the exclusive rights of the copyright owner and would constitute copyright infringement unless this is done with the copyright owner’s consent or if a defence applies. Under Section 67 of the Copyright Act, performance includes any mode of visual or aural presentation by any means, other than by electronic transmission.

Section 205 of the Copyright Act provides an exception in relation to the performance of literary, dramatic and musical works by students or staff of educational institutions. If the performance of a literary or dramatic work such as a script is done in the course of NTU’s activities, on NTU’s premises and the audience is limited to people who teach or study at NTU or are directly connected with NTU, such performance is permitted.

Generally, you will need to obtain a public performance licence or the permission from the copyright owner of the film to be screened.

A Film Exhibition Licence from the Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore will be required if the film to be screened is rated NC16, M18, or R21.

Publicity and Advertisements

In order to promote your campus events and activities, staff and students may have to create publicity materials and advertisements for them. When designing such publicity materials, please do take note of the below guidelines to avoid copyright infringement.

You should ensure that the design is an original product of independent skill and labour, and not copied from other sources.
If you need to incorporate other copyright works in your publicity materials such as pictures or photos, you should ensure that permission has been granted by the copyright owner before you do so.
Some copyright owners allow for non-commercial use of their works (see for example Creative Commons works). If the image you intend to use is under a Creative Commons licence, you should review the terms of the licence and comply with the terms of use.
The exclusive rights of the copyright owner include the reproduction of the work and making an adaptation of the work. If you were to use publicity materials from other sources and modify these, this would amount to copyright infringement.
When featuring names and logos of events sponsors in publicity materials, you will need to seek clearance for use of name and logo before using the sponsors' name and logo.

The following materials are prohibited in publicity materials and advertisements:

Obscene materials
Objectionable materials (depicting matters such as sex, horror, crime, cruelty, violence, drug or alcohol consumption, matters of race or religion in such manner as is likely to cause feelings of enmity, hatred, ill will or hostility between racial or religious groups)
Materials which are defamatory of other persons
Seditious materials (e.g. materials to bring into hatred, contempt or to excite disaffection against the Government or the administration of justice; materials to raise discontent or disaffection amongst citizens or residents; materials to promote ill will and hostility between different races or classes of population)

Collecting Societies in Singapore

Collecting societies are typically formed or appointed by copyright holders to manage licensing of rights and collection of royalties on behalf of the copyright holders.

COMPASS
The Composers and Authors Society of Singapore (COMPASS) is an organisation created to represent the copyright interests of composers, authors, and publishers of musical works and their related lyrics. COMPASS administers the public performance and broadcast rights in music and musical associated literary works on behalf of its members. It collects royalties on behalf of its members and enforces infringements of members’ copyright
Music Rights (Singapore) Public Limited (MRSS)
Music Rights (Singapore) Public Limited, also known as MRSS, was incorporated on 18 July 2018 as a result of the merger between Recording Industry Music Services (RIMS) and Recording Industry Performance Singapore Pte Ltd (RIPS). As a Not-For-Profit Collective Management Organisation (CMO), it represents the majority of music producers in Singapore and administers the copyrights for both karaoke, music videos and sound recordings for commercial usage on their behalf.
CLASS
The Copyright Licensing and Administration Society of Singapore Limited (CLASS) is a not-for-profit organisation set up by academic book publishers and authors to protect their copyright interests.
CLASS is the collecting society in Singapore that is responsible for administering the regulations governing copying from books, journals and periodicals belonging to its members, who consist of both international and local book publishers and authors. CLASS provides licences to allow photocopying of these works
MPLC
The Motion Picture Licensing Company (MPLC) represents over 400 producers and distributors from major Hollywood studios to independent and foreign producers. MPLC administers the rights for the public performance of films in which the copyright is owned or controlled by member studios.