Sabam is an acronym that stands for Société d'Auteurs Belge - Belgische Auteurs Maatschappij, which translates to Belgian Society of Authors. It refers to a Belgian collective rights management organization that represents authors, composers, and music publishers. Sabam's primary objective is to safeguard and promote the rights of its members by effectively managing their intellectual property rights.
As a collective rights management organization, Sabam operates by collectively licensing the use of copyrighted music to users such as broadcasters, concert organizers, and clubs. It ensures that these users pay appropriate royalties for the use of copyrighted music, with the collected fees then being distributed among its members.
Additionally, Sabam plays a vital role in advocating for the rights of authors and composers on both national and international levels. It represents its members' interests in negotiations, legal proceedings, and policy development related to copyright protection and enforcement. This includes monitoring unauthorized use of copyrighted material, taking legal action against infringers, and negotiating reciprocal agreements with similar organizations in other countries to protect the rights of Belgian creators abroad.
In summary, Sabam is a Belgian collective rights management organization responsible for protecting the intellectual property rights of authors, composers, and music publishers. It licenses the use of copyrighted music, collects royalties, and advocates for the rights of its members in matters related to copyright protection and enforcement.
