By LEISELLE MARAJ Tuesday, March 18 2008

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MAKE THE COTT: Heather Baldwin McDowell, COTT manager of communication and member relations addresses the media yesterday. ...

THE TT Association for Media Entertain-ment (TTAME) yesterday presented proposals to the Copyright Organisation of Trinidad and Tobago (COTT) to establish E-Entertainment on Demand, which will protect artistes’ intellectual properties through anti-piracy measures.

TTAME spokesperson Ryan De Castro went to COTT head office on Jerningham Avenue in Belmont to present the proposal to COTT officials.

He explained that TTAME, an organisation created officially in January, is an anti-piracy group hoping to create a network system where artistes would be allowed to display their work in all forms at ports of entry, hotels and at TTAME membership clubs.

“We had a very positive response from the meeting. COTT told us we need to put more information into the proposal and email a copy to their offices. They will present the proposal to Association members and work according to their response,” he said.

He added that the move was a positive step towards piracy controls and protocols. Prior to the meeting, De Castro cleared up confusion that the group was at the COTT offices to demand licences to illegally reproduce copyrighted material for sale.

“We are not here to bombard COTT offices or make a scene. We are here to share ideas, to share the interests of the artistes. We have a medium where we could quadruple the revenues local artistes receive right now. We want to share this idea with COTT and anyone who is interested.”

De Castro, who said that the idea is the first in the Caribbean, said in order to utilise the service TTAME has to be granted mechanical licenses to be able to reproduce local work.

“But again it would be controlled. There will be measures where the artistes would have a say. It would benefit them in terms of royalties,” he said.