While Shamrock doesn’t confirm that it will be looking to make acquisitions in the music industry specifically via the new funds, it did say that it will focus on “buyout and later-stage growth equity investments in middle market companies” across its target sectors. Shamrock’s target sectors include: media, entertainment, content, communication, sports, marketing, and education.
Headlines
Merlin CEO Jeremy Sirota: “Licensing has always been too restrictive”
Startups need to understand (and respect) music and music’s value more, but equally copyright owners need to stop putting unnecessary obstacles. The startup world is predicated on the most terrifying failure rates. Even if they raise money, they are often handing over too much equity and will hand over even more to raise the next funding round; and if they need to license music, the deals are always in the labels’ and publishers’ favour and can be pulled when the short licensing terms expire.
Source: Merlin CEO Jeremy Sirota: “Licensing has always been too restrictive”
SESAC wins 10.4% increase in royalties collected from US radio
US performing rights organization SESAC has won an increase in the fees it collects from US radio stations, after an arbitration panel ruled on an ongoing dispute between SESAC and station owners. The new rate will apply from January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2026. Because the rates apply retroactively, radio stations can expect to see an adjustment to the rates they have paid going back to the beginning of 2023.
Source: SESAC wins 10.4% increase in royalties collected from US radio
The Elephant in the Room in the Google Search Case: Generative AI
Large language models (LLMs) like Gemini require access to massive amounts of training data to be effective. Simply put, Google is able to gain an advantage in training its own generative AI models because of the massive amounts of user data it derived from illegally maintaining a monopoly across Search. Real-time data about what, when, and how people search the internet every day is only the beginning.
Source: The Elephant in the Room in the Google Search Case: Generative AI | TechPolicy.Press
Dutch publisher to use AI to translate ‘limited number of books’ into English
Veen Bosch & Keuning, the largest publisher in the Netherlands, has confirmed plans to trial the use of artificial intelligence to assist in translation of commercial fiction.“There will be one editing phase, and authors have been asked to give permission for this,” a VBK spokesperson told the Bookseller. “We are not creating books with AI, it all starts and ends with human action.”
Source: Dutch publisher to use AI to translate ‘limited number of books’ into English
US laws regulating AI prove elusive, but there may be hope
In March, Tennessee became the first state to protect voice artists from unauthorized AI cloning. This summer, Colorado adopted a tiered, risk-based approach to AI policy. And in September, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed dozens of AI-related safety bills, a few of which require companies to disclose details about their AI training. But the U.S. still lacks a federal AI policy comparable to the EU’s AI Act.
Source: US laws regulating AI prove elusive, but there may be hope
AI Rules in Britain Test Global Content Rights Balance
Britain is moving to let artificial intelligence (AI) companies freely scrape online content unless publishers block them — a policy shift the BBC and other major media companies are fighting. The showdown could influence AI policy beyond Britain’s borders as global content publishers and tech firms watch to see whether content scraping becomes the default standard in advanced economies.
Source: AI Rules in Britain Test Global Content Rights Balance | PYMNTS.com
Meta Denied Regulator’s Request to Test Rights Manager’s Effectiveness
Prompted by concerns aired by photographers, French telecoms regulator Arcom sought to evaluate content recognition tools deployed at online content-sharing platforms. Meta’s Rights Manager and Pinterest’s Claim Portal were of particular interest, but both companies denied Arcom’s request to measure their effectiveness. Despite the regulator’s authority under law, private agreements with rightsholders took priority.
Source: Meta Denied Regulator’s Request to Test Rights Manager’s Effectiveness * TorrentFreak
MIDiA: State of the independent music economy: Fragmentation AND consolidation
Source: State of the independent music economy: Fragmentation AND consolidation
Zuckerberg: The AI Slop Will Continue Until Morale Improves
In a quarterly earnings call that was overwhelmingly about AI and Meta’s plans for it, Zuckerberg said that new, AI-generated feeds are likely to come to Facebook and other Meta platforms. Zuckerberg said he is excited for the “opportunity for AI to help people create content that just makes people’s feed experiences better.”
Source: Zuckerberg: The AI Slop Will Continue Until Morale Improves