The big questions in streaming music

Both publishing and video industries would gain from looking at the licensing battle being played out in the music business

Should content licensing be statutory or voluntary? That is the question a Bombay High Court ruling in May this year raises. In a case filed by Ramesh Taurani’s Tips Industries against Airtel’s music app Wynk, it held that Wynk cannot store or use music owned by Tips without its consent. Justice S J Kathawalla held that Section 31D of the Copyright Act does not extend to internet broadcasting — that it only covers broadcasting through radio and television. That means over-the-top streaming services (OTTs) or music apps that want to use say Saregama’s music need to take permission or a