Beyond the First Sale

A question I often hear from authors and publishers is: “How does URRO actually make money for creators?” It is a fair question.

Most writers, publishers, photographers and other creators understand the traditional ways of earning from their works. An author sells a book. A publisher earns from copies sold. A newspaper earns from sales, advertising or subscriptions. A photographer licenses an image. A digital creator earns from downloads, subscriptions or online access.

But there is another income opportunity that many creators have never fully understood: the reproduction right. This is the right that allows copyright owners to control and benefit when their works are copied, reproduced or reused. It applies to books, newspapers, magazines, photographs, illustrations, articles and many other forms of creative expression.

For many years, this right existed mainly on paper. It was protected in copyright notices found inside books and publications, but very few creators had the capacity to monitor how their works were being reproduced or negotiate compensation from thousands of users.

This is where collective management comes in.

The Uganda Reproduction Rights Organisation (URRO) was established to help authors, publishers, photographers, journalists and other rights holders turn this overlooked right into a source of income.

A book does not stop creating value after it is sold
One of the biggest misconceptions in publishing is that a book earns money only once, when someone buys a physical copy.

A textbook purchased by a school continues to be used for several years. During that period, teachers may need additional copies of chapters for learners. Institutions may reproduce extracts for teaching purposes. Researchers may need to share portions of publications. Digital copies may be created and circulated.

The question is simple: if a creative work continues to provide value, should the creator not also continue to benefit?

This is the thinking behind reprographic licensing.

Recently, an elite secondary school in Kampala obtained a reprographic licence from URRO and paid a licence fee that will be distributed as royalties to authors and publishers.

This is a significant development because it demonstrates that copyright is not only about stopping people from copying. It is also about creating lawful systems where copying can happen in a controlled way, and creators can be rewarded.

Imagine a future where schools, universities, libraries, research institutions and organisations that regularly reproduce protected works contribute annually towards a system that pays the people who create those works.

The law has strengthened the role of licensing
Uganda’s copyright law recognises the importance of balancing access to knowledge with protection of creators.

The Copyright and Neighbouring Rights (Amendment) Act, 2026 introduced a specific provision on reprographic copying. The law now provides that reproduction of passages from published literary or musical works should not exceed 5% of the work at any one time or within a period of three months. However, this limitation does not apply where there is a licensing scheme for reprographic copying.

This provision is important because it creates clarity.

Users have a limited space to access small portions of works without requiring separate permission. But where an institution needs broader or repeated use of protected materials, the law provides a legitimate solution: obtain a licence.

That is where URRO comes in.

URRO is not a barrier to access. It is the bridge between access and respect for creators’ rights.

A school, university, library or institution that needs to reproduce protected content beyond what the law permits can do so legally through a licensing arrangement while ensuring that authors, publishers and other rights holders receive compensation.

The message is simple: copyright does not prevent learning. It ensures that learning does not come at the expense of those who create knowledge.

URRO is more than an anti-piracy organisation
Many writers and publishers know URRO mainly because of its work against piracy.

They have seen URRO in the fight against illegal book reproduction, counterfeit publications and unauthorised copying in the market. This remains an important part of our work.

However, URRO is much more than an enforcement organisation.

URRO is a protector, administrator and commercial agent for creators.

The greatest challenge facing many authors is not only that their works are stolen. It is that their works are used every day in ways they cannot monitor.

A single author cannot visit every school, university, organisation or business to ask how their book is being reproduced. A photographer cannot monitor every publication where their image appears. A journalist cannot track every reproduction of their article.

URRO gives creators a practical mechanism to license use, collect royalties and distribute income back to rights holders.

Protecting the value of writers, photographers and publishers
The reproduction right is especially important for the book industry.

Publishing is already a challenging business. Authors invest years writing. Publishers invest resources editing, designing, printing and distributing. Yet after a legitimate copy enters the market, uncontrolled reproduction can reduce future income.

The same applies to photographers whose images appear in newspapers, magazines and books. Their creative work continues to be used long after the original publication.

Through licensing, these secondary uses become visible and valuable.

Creators deserve to earn not only when their work first reaches the market, but also when others continue benefiting from it.

Connecting Ugandan creators to international opportunities
URRO’s work also extends beyond Uganda.

Through reciprocal agreements with international reproduction rights organisations, including KOPINOR, URRO is able to represent Ugandan rights holders internationally and receive royalties generated from the use of their works abroad.

This demonstrates an important reality: creative works have value wherever they are used.

A photograph published overseas, an article reproduced in another country or a literary work used internationally can generate income for Ugandan creators when proper systems exist.

Why creators should join URRO

Membership of URRO is about more than protection. It is about participation in a system that gives creators economic opportunities.

By joining URRO, authors, publishers, photographers, journalists and visual artists entrust the management of their reproduction rights to an organisation that can negotiate, license, monitor and collect royalties on their behalf.

The creative economy will not grow if creators depend on only one source of income. Book sales matter. Publishing contracts matter. Digital platforms matter. But reproduction rights matter too. For too long, many creators have protected this right in theory but have not benefited from it economically.

URRO exists to change that. Your work has value beyond its first sale. Every authorised reproduction, every licensed use and every institution that benefits from your creativity represents an opportunity for recognition and reward. The future of Uganda’s creative economy depends on building systems where creators are not only celebrated, but also compensated.

Copyright is not just about stopping copying. It is about ensuring that when creativity creates value, that value returns to the creator.