THE Fiji Performing Rights Association (FPRA) collected about $250,000 of royalties last year.
Half of this amount is due to be distributed to local artists soon while the other half will be distributed to international artists around the world.
Because of FPRA’s affiliation to the Australian Performing Rights Association (APRA), they had licences to west-produced music.
“The 50 per cent that goes to APRA are then distributed worldwide,” said FPRA 2015 awards co-ordinator and veteran musician Seru Serevi.
One of the main purposes of the FPRA awards, according to Mr Serevi, is to raise awareness of issues such as this.
“We believe that this can be an industry on its own and it can contribute to the GDP and the national economy,” he said.
“If more people support local artists, we will be distributing a whole lot more royalties to local artists,” said FPRA publicist Lice Movono-Rova.
FPRA reiterated its call on authorities for the policing of piracy laws in the country.
