COSOMA Is Not YouTube or Spotify’ – Copyright Body Responds to Royalty Backlash
Published on July 23, 2026 at 12:00 PM by Evance Kapito
The Copyright Society of Malawi (COSOMA) has responded to growing criticism and backlash on social media following the distribution of media levy and royalty payments to selected artists.
Several artists have expressed disappointment over the payments, with some claiming that they received only small amounts of money. The issue has sparked questions about how COSOMA determines the artists who qualify for payments and how the amounts are calculated.
In its response, COSOMA said the organisation does not arbitrarily select artists for royalty payments, explaining that the names of members who make it into the top 10 are generated based on the available data.
The organisation also clarified that gender is separate from the distribution of royalties, saying there are no rules requiring a specific number of male or female artists to be included among the top 10 or to receive specific amounts.
COSOMA said it distributes royalties based on how the system operates and urged people not to misinterpret the process.
The organisation also explained the concept of Blank Media Levy, saying it is compensation paid to copyright owners from money collected on storage devices such as CDs, flash drives, memory cards, computers and other devices capable of storing creative works.
According to COSOMA, the levy exists because creative works can be copied or stored on such devices for personal use.
However, the explanation has continued to attract criticism from some artists.
Malawian hip-hop artist Toast, who was among the artists who received a relatively small payment, questioned COSOMA’s explanation of the distribution process.
“What does ‘momwe zikuyenera kukhalira’ even mean, guys? That statement alone shows a lack of accountability,” Toast wrote.
The artist argued that there is currently no proper system to accurately track how artists’ music is used, particularly given the limitations in technology and music monitoring systems.
He called for greater transparency and accurate tracking to ensure that artists are fairly compensated.
The list of the top 10 artists has also raised questions among members of the public, with some people questioning the absence of artists such as Miracle Chinga, whose music has remained popular, and IKK, who reportedly received around K4,900.
In response to some of the criticism, COSOMA stressed that it is not the same as platforms such as YouTube or Spotify.
The organisation said its royalty distribution system is based on a different process and that popularity or trending status alone does not necessarily determine who benefits.
COSOMA has maintained that the process should be understood within the context of its mandate, while artists and members of the public continue to call for more transparency and clearer explanations on how royalty payments are calculated.
The debate has reignited wider discussions about the need for improved music monitoring systems and more transparent royalty distribution mechanisms in Malawi.
