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CMU Digest
CMU Digest 19.12.16: OneMusic Australia, BOTS Act, gig licensing, Trump letter, Bestival, RCA
By Chris Cooke | Published on Monday 19 December 2016
The key stories from the last seven days in the music business…
The Australian music industry’s collecting societies – PPCA on the recordings side and APRA/AMCOS on the publishing side – announced a plan to launch OneMusic Australia, which will offer a one-stop public performance licence for licensees in the country, covering both the recording and song rights in one agreement. The initiative replicates a similar scheme in New Zealand that APRA/AMCOS is also involved in. It also comes as UK societies PPL and PRS prepare to launch their new joint venture that will provide one-stop licences for the public performance of recordings. [READ MORE]
President Obama signed into law the Better Online Ticket Sales Act passed by US Congress earlier this month which basically outlaws the use of so called bots by ticket touts to buy up large quantities of tickets off primary sites. Previously ticketing touting regulation in the US has happened at a state level, but this means that the use of bots will now be illegal across the whole of the US. [READ MORE]
The UK government opposed proposals to add ‘cultural benefit’ to the list of criteria considered by local councils when reviewing live music licence requests. Liberal lord Tim Clement-Jones had proposed adding the new criteria via an amendment to the Policing And Crime Bill. A government rep said that they felt the proposed change was unnecessary and would “run in contradiction to the other licensing objectives, all of which are aimed at harm reduction”. Clement-Jones withdrew the proposal but will continue to push for this latest reform of live music licensing rules. [READ MORE]
The US music industry sent an open letter to President-Elect Donald Trump as he met with reps of big tech. Signed by pretty much every trade organisation in the American music community, the letter focused on how the internet industry could do more to combat piracy, while encouraging the new President to reform the safe harbours that allow companies like YouTube to operate opt-out rather than opt-in streaming services. [READ MORE]
Rob da Bank announced that Bestival will move to a new site in Dorset. The annual festival has been held on the Isle Of Wight since its launch in 2004. The festival will now be based at the same location as its sister event Camp Bestival. Da Bank said that – while he was sad to leave the IOW – the move was necessary to ensure the event remained commercially viable. [READ MORE]
Sony Music UK announced that the boss of the Ministry Of Sound Recordings label – which is now part of the major – will now also oversee its RCA UK division. David Dollimore takes over the top role at RCA from outgoing exec Colin Barlow. The move follows a recent change in senior management at the other big Sony UK frontline label Columbia, which is now being run by Ferdy Unger-Hamilton. [READ MORE]
The big deals from the last seven days in the music business…
• America’s Radio Music Licence Committee signed a new deal with US PRO ASCAP [INFO]
• Koko founder Oliver Bengough took back control of the venue [INFO]
• Record producer Young Guru announced a JV with The Marketing Arm [INFO]
• Ticketmaster announced an alliance with Shazam to make an interactive ticket [INFO]
• DJ Mag signed a licensing deal with Chinese company East21 Music Group [INFO]
• Domino signed Fat White Family [INFO]
