Module 3: Registration, Collection, and Contracts

Collection societies are not magic systems. They are databases. And databases only work when the information entering them is accurate, complete, and internationally connected.

The biggest financial losses in African music rarely come from a lack of talent; they come from metadata inconsistencies, unregistered publishing, and poorly negotiated contracts. If your song is played on the radio or streamed globally but lacks the proper registration codes, your money flows into the "Black Box" unallocated pool.

Under standard rules, if these funds remain unclaimed for three years, they are permanently redistributed to the industry's highest earners. In this module, Mpho Pholo guides you through the operational steps of music administration.

You will master a 10-step registration sequence, map how local collection societies interact through international reciprocal agreements, and dissect the differences between publishing administration and copyright assignment. Finally, you will study the nine most dangerous contract clauses that routinely strip African artists of their long-term catalog value.