Who monopolizes Umm Kulthum’s songs?

Elaf from Beirut: Renewed conflict between Mohsen Jaber, the owner of Alam El Fan, and Mazika TV, and the Cairo Voice Company over Umm Kulthum’s artworks.

After the statement issued by the Supreme Council for Media Regulation in Egypt, through which it warns all channels, radio stations and Internet sites that broadcast from inside Egypt, against broadcasting the songs of Umm Kulthum, without obtaining written approval from the Voice of Cairo Company, as the exclusive owner of the rights, the response of the producer Mohsen Jaber made a statement in which he said: The publication of a news attributed to the head of the “Supreme Council for Media” stating that the Voice of Cairo Company passed a memorandum in which it stated that the Cairo Economic Court had ruled that the Cairo Economic Court was the sole owner of the works performed by Umm Kulthum’s voice and that this ruling is final and in fact this The claim is unfounded, as the ruling referred to by Voice of Cairo was never mentioned that Voice of Cairo is the owner of Umm Kulthum’s works. On the contrary, the court said that Stars Art Production is the owner of the rights to exploit these works and that it is It authorized the Cairo Voice Company to exploit it under the contract dated 17/10/2010

And «Jaber» in his statement: «Not only this, but that the Economic Court in Cairo issued a session of 31/8/2020 a ruling to terminate this contract dated 10/17/2010 with the obligation of Cairo Voice Company to pay Starz an amount of one million five hundred thousand pounds as material compensation. For damages resulting from the failure of Cairo Voice Company to its obligations stipulated in the terminated contract dated 10/17/2010.

He added: “Therefore, what was mentioned by Cairo Voice Company is characterized by fraud and misleading of the Chairman of the Supreme Council for Media and has no basis in truth, and we appreciate and respect Professor Karam Gabr, we hope that he will investigate this matter, and we are fully prepared to meet with him to brief him on all these documents for an investigation. The truth ».

For his part, the lawyer of Cairo Voice Company, Hossam Lotfi, responded in press statements, saying: “The final verdict is enforceable is this ruling that cut off ownership of Sawt Cairo’s songs by Umm Kulthum. As for the verdict to annul the contract, it was issued by a court of first instance and we challenged it with an appeal.” He added. The date for the appeal will be set next week. ”

Producer Mohsen Jaber had revealed a few weeks ago about the cards of concessions to Umm Kulthum from the late composers, musician Riyad Al-Sunbati, musician Baligh Hamdi and poets Ahmed Rami and Bayram Al-Tunisi, stressing that the East Planet was producing for itself, and it is not true that the late artist Mohamed Fawzi was the one who produced to her.

“Jaber” said during his hosting of the “Hazrat Citizen” program on the “Al-Hadath Al-Youm” channel, that he had agreed with the heirs of Umm Kulthum to buy her songs after they complained about the inability of the “Cairo Voice” company to properly manage Umm Kulthum’s legacy, as they were surprised by their charges. An amount of 35 thousand pounds for a quarter of a year, so the heirs submitted a warning to the Cairo company demanding not to renew the contract for the distribution of Umm Kulthum’s heritage.

In an intervention, Dr. Muhammad Hassan Al-Hefnawi, one of the heirs of Umm Kulthum, said: “The Voice of Cairo” company was not very competent in managing Umm Kulthum’s voice and was unable to invest it, so the heirs of Umm Kulthum met with Mohsen Jaber and decided to sell him the heritage of Umm Kulthum. , Because he preserved the lyrical heritage in Egypt at a time when the storms were high on him, and added: “We decided that because we are confident that he will rise and invest the heritage of Umm Kulthum and take it to higher heights. Mohsen Jaber is a great Egyptian value.”