This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Digital
More MIDEM announcements: Rara.com, Deezer, Eicall, CueSongs
By CMU Editorial | Published on Tuesday 31 January 2012
OK, a few more digital style announcements from the MIDEM conference in Cannes for you.
First, Omnifone’s consumer-facing streaming service Rara.com, which launched last month, announced it had secured a pan-European deal with PRS For Music to cover publishing rights. Omnifone’s licensing man Jez Bell, himself a former PRS exec, told reporters: “Working closely with rights holders to license a great range of content for the next-generation music services powered by Omnifone is our priority, and alongside PRS For Music, we’re striving to redress the damage done to the music industry by online piracy”.
Second, GEMA, Germany’s publishing rights collecting society, confirmed it has licensed French-based streaming music platform Deezer which, as previously reported, is currently pursuing an ambitious roll out programme around the world. Getting licences from GEMA to operate in Germany has proven tricky for many streaming services, but the society recently published a new set of online tariffs, which the Deezer deal is based on. GEMA CEO Harald Heker told reporters: “We are convinced that signing the contract will send a signal to other online providers. The new rates make it clear it is indeed possible to reach agreements with GEMA that are lucrative for both sides”.
And third, both online music licensing platform Ricall and Peter Gabriel announced new ventures to make it easier and cheaper for smaller and grass roots organisations wanting to use music in videos to licence tracks by featured artists. Ricall Express announced deals with both EMI’s record labels and publishing company, plus music firms Imagem, Peermusic UK, Music Sales, Concord and others for its simplified grass roots sync licensing service.
Gabriel’s company is called CueSongs, and is led by Ed Averdieck, who previously collaborated with Gabriel at early download provider OD2. They also have a stack of both record companies and music publishers on board, including Sony, Peermusic, Cooking Vinyl, New State and Downtown Music. Said Gabriel: “Young and minority interest artists will be able to get their work in front of people all over the world looking to license something interesting and different. Successful artists will find that a lot of their catalogue that is now rarely touched can generate a lot of use, with easy access and the right price”.
