Shenzhen's Happy Valley theme park has reached a deal with the Music Copyright Society of China (MCSC) on paying royalties for the music it plays for commercial purposes.

It is the first scenic spot in China to pay for airing music on its premises.

Wu Siyuan, the park's general manager, said the park management was authorized to use all music by MCSC under the agreement. But he did not say how much this was costing.

Chen Yan, head of MCSC's Shenzhen office, said Happy Valley has set a standard for its counterparts in respecting copyright.

Crowne Plaza Shenzhen was the country's first hotel to pay for airing music in 2003.

Chen said firms in OCT had a strong sense of responsibility toward copyright while local retail businesses were not so satisfactory.

The local copyright bureau announced last year that businesses would be charged for using music to solicit customers. These include hotels, department stores, supermarkets, restaurants, nightclubs, discos, bars and other entertainment venues.

But most entertainment venues, among them many karaoke bars, had ignored the announcement, Chen said. He said his office would take them to court if necessary.

The MCSC followed an international model in collecting and distributing copyright payments. It charged hotels based on the number of beds and supermarkets or karaoke venues on floor areas, Chen said.

It then pays the member writers, composers or publishers in proportion to the frequency of the music being played. The frequency is estimated on the basis of a music list provided by the users.

By doing so, international peers were doing well in protecting the integrity of creative works, said Chen. The Japanese association for music copyright protection, the JASRAC, collects US$1 billion for its members each year.

Editor: Catherine