OMI Looks to Move Into Next Phase of Development With Intel Deal

intel_insideThe Open Music Initiative (OMI) this week unveiled a new partnership with Intel to make the chip giant’s Sawtooth Lake blockchain technology as a reference platform for the open-source rights data architecture.

Under the arrangement, Sawtooth is expected to become a foundational platform for reference implementations of OMI’s protocols and APIs.

“We need to move from the phase of talking about things to the phase of doing something, OMI’s co-founder and director of Berklee College of Music’s Institute for Creative Entrepreneurship Panos Panay told RightsTech. “This [deal with Intel] is an important step in moving into that new phase. Continue reading “OMI Looks to Move Into Next Phase of Development With Intel Deal”

BerkleeICE’s Open Music Initiative Cut Deal with Intel for Blockchain Technology

The Open Music Initiative (OMI), an initiative of the Berklee College of Music’s Institute for Creative Entrepreneurship (BerkleeICE), today announced that it has selected Intel’s open source blockchain technology, Sawtooth Lake, as its reference platform open source ledger for tracking, managing and protecting use of creators and rights holders’ intellectual property. Blockchain is the tamper-proof ledger that is increasingly being used to secure and verify a variety of digital transactions, including the distribution of music files.

Among the approaches being considered, OMI will employ Sawtooth Lake as a foundational technology for the reference implementation to share OMI’s application programming interfaces (APIs) and protocols. OMI’s open source ledger will facilitate transparency and seamless payment flows within the industry.

Source: BerkleeICE’s Open Music Initiative Cut Deal with Intel for Blockchain Technology – Blockchain News

RIAA, IFPI, and BPI File Lawsuit Against Top YouTube to MP3 Site

In a joint effort, The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) have taken Youtube-mp3.org to court. The RIAA announced the action against the service on their own website today. The lawsuit was filed in a federal court in California.

Youtube-mp3.org describes itself as “the easiest online service for converting videos to mp3.” All you’ll need to do is paste a YouTube URL into the search box to “convert the audiotrack of your videofile to mp3…and you will be able to download it.”

Source: RIAA, IFPI, and BPI File Lawsuit Against Top YouTube to MP3 Site

Kobalt buys Fintage House’s music business to create Neighbouring Rights empire 

Kobalt Music Group has fully acquired the music publishing and Neighbouring Rights businesses of Fintage House – one of the biggest players, and Kobalt’s toughest rivals, in the multi-billion dollar NR space.

The deal brings Fintage’s NR roster of artists – including Katy Perry (pictured), Bruce Springsteen and Britney Spears – into Kobalt, which already looks after Neighbouring Rights for acts such as Paul McCartney, Sam Smith, Ariana Grande and many more.

Source: Kobalt buys Fintage House’s music business to create Neighbouring Rights empire – Music Business Worldwide

Lawmakers announce blockchain technology caucus 

Lawmakers on Monday announced the creation of a caucus focused on blockchain technologies like Bitcoin.

“The blockchain has boundless potential,” Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) said in a statement detailing the new Congressional Blockchain Caucus. “From cryptocurrencies to supply chains to banking to property titling, blockchain-based solutions have the ability to decentralize cybersecurity and revolutionize many industries.”

Source: Lawmakers announce blockchain technology caucus | TheHill

The e-books case pushing lending laws into the digital age

Whether or not the public lending of e-books is treated in EU copyright law in the same manner as the public lending of traditional books has been a relatively contentious topic among EU member states.

This is an important question as there are certain rules, benefits and obligations set out in EU copyright law regarding the rental and lending of copyright works, particularly for the authors of those works.

Source: The e-books case pushing lending laws into the digital age

Kobalt strikes ‘revolutionary’ deal with YouTube giant AwesomenessTV

Kobalt has signed a new partnership with multi-platform media company Awesomeness TV which it says will ‘revolutionize’ the music business.

AwesomenessTV, co-owned by Comcast, Hearst and Verizon, counts amongst its properties a multi-channel network (MCN) with over 90,000 YouTube channels. It will now connect its emerging musical talent with Kobalt’s publishing, label services and neighboring rights offerings.

Source: Kobalt strikes ‘revolutionary’ deal with YouTube giant AwesomenessTV – Music Business Worldwide