Representatives from independent music associations from across the world launched a global coalition at MIDEM yesterday aiming to pool their collective knowledge, resources and influences, and to create an international strategy to deal with the common commercial, political and cultural issues affecting all independent record labels. The move to create the global network follows the launch, in recent years, of powerful independent music associations in most key territories.
Over 100 representatives of the independent sector attended the meeting that launched the coalition, and among the associations involved are AIR (Australia), AIM (UK), AAIM (US), UFI (Spain),
IMNZ (New Zealand), CIRPA (Canada) and IMPALA (the pan-European body). All other independent music associations are invited to join.
Commenting on the launch of the new coalition, Alison Wenham, Chair of the UK's Association of Independent Music and Vice President of IMPALA, told CMU: "The MTV and iTunes negotiations are just two examples of what we can achieve when we act collectively.
The coalition's action plan will make a radical difference by giving independents all over the world access to these benefits and put them on a level playing field."
Brian Chater, President of Canada's CIRPA added: "The international agenda of the music business has been dominated by four multinationals.
The independents priorities get ignored. Without separate associations, governments never hear that the priority issues for their national companies are very different and very real, from market access, concentration, access to finance through to the unraveling of collective licensing. Co-ordination at international level is vital."
The
Coalition plan to meet again in May to discuss next steps.