新加坡词曲版权协会总裁兼董事，国际艺创家联会亚太地区主席，林建鸿博士
于第11届新加坡词曲版权协会颁奖典礼的致词
亲爱的会员与朋友们，
我很高兴能在这里向大家汇报协会在2005年所取得的好成绩。协会去年的总收益已经超越了一千万新元。其中，本地创作在国内的税收也有所增加。可是，国外税收却处已停滞的状态。尤其是在中国，税收更是非常之低。
有鉴于此，代表各国词曲版权协会的国际艺创家联会已经在尝试通过各个主要贸易伙伴国，如美国、欧盟等地的政府机构，向中国政府进行游说。其实，这个问题的症结在于当地的广播媒体。在中国有大约2000多家广播公司，他们向来都不缴交歌曲的广播版税。不过，值得庆幸的是，我们注意到有关当局的立场已逐渐在转变。事实上，中国国家主席胡锦涛先生最近在美国访问时就做出了保证，承诺将不遗余力地保护知识产权。而中国音乐著作权协会的领导也向我表示有关单位会设法于今年解决这个问题。
新加坡方面，本地的音乐市场近年来的发展蓬勃。我们可看到市面上不断地涌现新的歌手、歌曲及唱片。这些音乐人展现了极大的潜质。今晚将获颁年度最佳青年词曲作者奖的音乐人就是最佳的典范。他非常的年轻，但已经创作出许多脍炙人口的歌曲。他也不断有作品登上各地的音乐排行榜。这样的成就，实在难得。尤其是在新加坡，本地创作并没有特优的广播环境，所以我们应该继续努力培养这样的人才。其实，在许多国家，政府为了鼓励广播业者多支持当地的创作，特别明文规定业者播放歌曲时，当地与外地的创作必须达到一定的比例。但由于我们并未有此设限，所以我们更要加倍努力，让本地音乐在国内能与外国创作分庭抗礼，不让外国创作完全主导本地的流行音乐文化。
与此同时，我们也不应该把视野局限于中文市场。譬如越南就是一个会员们可考虑进军的市场。协会在去年11月与越南签署了互惠协议，我们将代为管理他们的曲目，处理他们在国际间的版权事宜。借此关系，我们希望能主办一些供两地会员参加的交流活动，以便为本地音乐人铺路，协助他们进军这个尚未开发但极具潜力的市场。
我们在去年下半年又一次主办新谣节，不论是参赛作品的数量与素质，甚至是大决赛当晚的出席率都比上一届来的理想。可是，值得关注的是，入围打决赛的十队参赛者并没有因此而在音乐界大放异彩。因此，我们可能要重新策划，让得奖者有更多机会展现创作才华，已达到新谣节的宗旨。
说到新谣节，让我们很痛心地想起刚在三月份逝世的黄元成先生。元成才42岁，就已在音乐界有很大的成就。众所周知，他是新谣界的元老，在80年代就积极参与推广本地创作。他后来成立了大石音乐，发掘并培养了许多年轻的词曲创作者。在1990年，元成被推选为协会的董事。这15年来，他为协会鞠躬尽瘁，处处以会员的利益为前提，沉着理智地为协会提供了许多很好的建议。
在此，我谨代表董事局向元成的家人表达我们的谢意。我们失去了一位优秀的董事，但我们将秉承他的精神，继续为新加坡音乐奋斗、努力！
谢谢。
English translation of Speech in Chinese
Dear Members and Friends.
We had a relatively good year in 2005 with our total income crossing the $10 million mark. Royalty collections for local musical works have also gone up in the local market. However, income from overseas markets remained stagnant. In particular, royalties from MCSC, mainland China, was unreasonably low.
CISAC, the international body representing authors?societies, is well aware of the problem and has been lobbying the Chinese government directly and indirectly through governments of major trading partners like the US and EU. The main problem is that the broadcasters, estimated to be about 2000 of them in China, have not paid any royalties for exploitation of copyrighted works belonging to members of CISAC international community. We have noticed a gradual shift in the official position of the relevant authorities. In fact, the President of the People抯 Republic of China Hu Qing Tao, while on a visit the US recently has given his assurance that China will spare no efforts in safeguarding the Intellectual Property rights within China. I was told by my counterpart, the Director General of MCSC that the relevant authorities will try to resolve the broadcasting copyright issues this year.
The local industry has become more developed in recent years. There is a constant supply of new albums, artistes and songs. These new artistes and songwriters often show great potential. One such great talent is the recipient of our Young Composer of the Year Award tonight. At such a young age, he had already made a huge impact and written a number of songs that hit the top charts regularly. We must continually seek and nurture such talents. Our popular music culture cannot and must not be overly dominated by foreign competition given that there is no cultural or quota policies, as in some other countries, to encourage broadcasters to use more local works.
We should also look beyond the Chinese markets. COMPASS has signed a reciprocal representation agreement with our Vietnamese counterpart last November. COMPASS is representing the international societies in the administration of their repertoires. We will be planning exchange programmes for each other’s members. Hopefully some of you may find some potential in a largely unexploited market.
The Xin Yao Festival was once again held in the second half of last year. We had more submission and better attendance than the previous series. However, I have a growing concern – none of the 10 finalists have made any inroads professionally. There may be a need to make some adjustments to ensure that the emerged winners have the opportunities to further their song writing career which still is the main objective of the Xin Yao Festival.
This last March, we were deeply saddened by the passing away of one of our longstanding Director, Mr Ng Guan Seng. He was only 42 years old. As everyone is aware, he was one of the pioneers of Xin Yao movement in the 1980s. He later established Touch Music Publishing which identified and nurtured many young writers over the years. He was elected as a Director of COMPASS since 1990 and served with great commitment over a period of 15 years. He was a rock of steadiness, rationality and good counsel. He always acted for the benefit of the greater whole. On behalf of the COMPASS Board, we would like to express my deepest thanks and indebtedness to his family. We have a lost a great talent but his legacy will cause us to continue our effort to have a better future for Singapore music.
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