Finance

UK and US publishers back move to block AI scrapers by default

Internet infrastructure provider Cloudflare is now blocking all AI scrapers accessing content by default in an industry first. The move has been backed by more than a dozen major news and media publishers including the Associated Press, The Atlantic, Buzzfeed, Conde Nast, DMGT, Dotdash Meredith, Fortune, Gannett, The Independent, Sky News, Time and Ziff Davis. Cloudflare said its default setting for new domains is now to block AI crawlers that don’t have permission or provide compensation.

Source: UK and US publishers back move to block AI scrapers by default

Cloudflare launches a marketplace that lets websites charge AI bots for scraping

Cloudflare, a cloud infrastructure provider that serves 20% of the web, announced Tuesday the launch of a new marketplace that reimagines the relationship between website owners and AI companies — ideally giving publishers greater control over their content. It’s called Pay per Crawl, and Cloudflare is launching the “experiment” in private beta on Tuesday.

Source: Cloudflare launches a marketplace that lets websites charge AI bots for scraping | TechCrunch

Warner Music Group and Bain launch $1.2 billion fund to buy rights

WMG and Bain Capital said on Tuesday (July 1) that they will source and acquire the catalogs together, while WMG will manage all aspects of marketing, distribution, and administration. The funds might be deployed swiftly: Warner and Bain are reportedly mulling the acquisition of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ recorded music catalog for around $350 million.

Source: Warner Music Group and Bain launch $1.2 billion fund to buy rights; each party owns 50% of venture

Trump’s Mystery buyer for TikTok is the same Oracle-Blackstone group whose bid stalled 

Bloomberg now reports, citing a person familiar with the discussions, that the buyers cited by Trump are a group of investors who were previously in talks with ByteDance, including Oracle, Blackstone and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. Those talks broke down after Beijing withheld approval in the wake of Trump’s decision to impose sweeping tariffs on Chinese goods.

Source: Mystery buyer for TikTok named by Trump is the same Oracle-Blackstone group whose bid stalled (report)

As AI kills search traffic, Google launches Offerwall to boost publisher revenue 

On Thursday, the tech giant officially launched Offerwall, a new tool that allows publishers to generate revenue beyond the more traffic-dependent options, like ads. Offerwall lets publishers give their sites’ readers a variety of ways to access their content, including through options like micropayments, taking surveys, watching ads, and more.

Source: As AI kills search traffic, Google launches Offerwall to boost publisher revenue | TechCrunch

AI music platform Suno acquires WavTool, moving into DAW market

Suno announced the acquisition a day after its rival Udio released a visual editing workstation for AI-generated music. Suno’s acquisition of WavTool integrates the latter’s browser-based DAW technology into Suno’s existing AI music generation platform. In a press release Suno described WavTool as “the first browser-based DAW to combine professional-grade music production features” like VST plugin compatibility, sample-accurate editing, and live recording.

Source: AI music platform Suno acquires WavTool, moving into DAW market

California Legislative Leaders Agree on $750 Million in Funding for Film and TV Credit

California legislative leaders have accepted Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to more than double the film and TV credit, in a win for the industry. The state Senate and Assembly leadership have accepted Newsom’s proposed funding level, which more than doubles the program from $330 million. A vote is scheduled on Friday on a trailer bill to make it official, according to multiple sources.

Source: California Legislative Leaders Agree on $750 Million in Funding for Film and TV Credit

UK Gov Unveils $500M Creative Industries Sector Plan Investment

The UK government has announced an over $500 million investment, including in the music space, under its Creative Industries Sector Plan. That £380 million (currently $512.9 million) package was disclosed today as part of the decade-long Creative Industries Sector Plan. The latter was released alongside a broader Industrial Strategy designed to “make the UK the best place to do business.”

Source: UK Gov Unveils $500M Creative Industries Sector Plan Investment

How data-driven tools are changing the way artists and labels finance their businesses

Funding deals rarely operate the way they’re initially advertised. Factors like cash timing, recoupment rates, and long-term obligations can significantly affect an artist’s cash flow and ownership rights over time. beatBread’s Deal Comparison Tool models these variables across different performance scenarios, simulating annual cash flows and total costs. It helps users identify hidden risks and avoid getting locked into unfavorable terms.

Source: How data-driven tools are changing the way artists and labels finance their businesses

NMPA says Spotify ‘bundling’ move could cost music publishers $3.1bn through 2032

NMPA General Counsel Danielle Aguirre said Spotify’s bundling practice has already resulted in $230 million in lost revenue during its first year. Aguirre added that “these losses will continue if we can’t reverse or correct Spotify’s actions. In fact, if we don’t stop them, we are projected to lose over $3.1 billion through the next CRB period,” which will be Phonorecords V, which determines mechanical royalty rates for 2028 through 2032.

Source: NMPA says Spotify ‘bundling’ move could cost music publishers $3.1bn through 2032

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