ZIMURA announces June pay-out amid broadcaster royalty arrears

According to an official notice issued by ZIMURA, royalties will be paid for airplay recorded on the following platforms: Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) stations, Star FM, Diamond FM, Capitalk FM, Platinum FM, ZTN, Pachikomo FM (University of Zimbabwe Campus Radio Station) and 3KTV.

Eligible members will receive SMS notifications once their payments are processed.

However, ZIMURA also disclosed that several broadcasters have fallen behind on their royalty contributions. Royalties from the following stations will only be disbursed once outstanding payments are received: ZiFM, Hevoi FM, 98.4 FM, Skyz Metro FM, Breeze FM, Ya-FM, Great Zimbabwe University Campus Radio Station and Midlands State University Campus Radio Station.

ZIMURA, the official collective management organisation for composers, authors, and publishers in Zimbabwe, was established in 1982 to protect music copyright and ensuring that artists receive fair compensation for the use of their works. The organisation has steadily expanded its monitoring systems, royalty collections, and international affiliations, including with the Confederation of International Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC).

In previous years, ZIMURA has faced both praise and criticism over the transparency and timeliness of its royalty payments, with delays attributed to broadcaster non-compliance, which remains a recurring challenge.