Headlines

Why Authentic Visual Content Isn’t Paid More — And What Would Change That

A verified editorial photograph with full chain-of-custody provenance sits in the same licensing catalog, at the same price point, as an AI-composite that looks vaguely similar. Behind a paywall, whether it’s a stock subscription or a news outlet, all content is treated equally. You pay for access, and everything inside costs the same. The photograph’s relationship to reality, its evidentiary weight, its verifiable origin, none of this is priced.

Source: Why Authentic Visual Content Isn’t Paid More — And What Would Change That

Disney Fires The Entire Team Managing Its DVD & Blu-ray Sales

Disney has eliminated its entire home entertainment division in a sweeping round of layoffs that intensified concerns over the long-term viability of physical media formats such as DVDs and Blu-ray discs according to a report from The Wrap.  Its complete dissolution marks a stark departure from an era when physical discs generated substantial supplemental revenue for studios, often through elaborate collector’s editions featuring bonus features, behind-the-scenes documentaries, and exclusive artwork that streaming services cannot replicate.

Source: Disney Fires The Entire Team Managing Its DVD & Blu-ray Sales 

Voice actors fight to save their livelihoods and local cultures from Hollywood’s AI push

 As studios, production companies, and streaming platforms increasingly turn to AI for voice-overs and to dub English-language content into local languages, more than 2 million full-time and part-time voice actors worldwide stand to lose their livelihood and the rights to their voice. “With new AI-generated voices, I will be out of a job even though I am the one providing the input,” said Azevedo, who is president of the Brazilian Association of Dubbing Professionals.

Source: Voice actors fight to save their livelihoods and local cultures from Hollywood’s AI push

Wall Street still loves streaming, but are its affections well placed?

The romance started about a decade ago when consumers began cutting the cord with cable TV bundles en masse in favor of direct-to-consumer streaming apps. However, where investors were once enamored with subscriber growth, rewarding companies that were able to expand their consumer reach, their attentions have now shifted toward profitability.

Source: Wall Street still loves streaming, but are its affections well placed?

Musicians Respond to Calls For PRS to Reduce License Fees

The U.K.’s main musician and songwriter trade associations have responded to calls for PRS to reduce its blanket license fees for grassroots music venues. On Tuesday (April 14), the Music Venue Trust launched a campaign titled Set The Record Straight: Fair Licensing Fees, aimed at examining how PRS For Music’s licensing charges are calculated, applied and enforced across the U.K.’s grassroots live music circuit.

Source: Musicians Respond to Calls For PRS to Reduce License Fees

New Study Explores the ‘Streaming Paradox’

A new report is providing a closer look at the “streaming paradox,” or the idea that on-demand listening plays an important role in artists’ careers but leaves much to be desired in the royalties department.  Unsurprisingly, the analysis covers a variety of angles across its nearly 90 pages. But at the top level, the resource breaks down artist survey responses (more here in a moment) en route to providing a relatively balanced look at the streaming landscape.

Source: New Study Explores the ‘Streaming Paradox’

Publishers urged to embrace future where bot readers provide majority of revenue

AI agents and bots will become the “primary” revenue source for the publisher websites they visit, the co-founders of AI monetization company Tollbit believe. “It’s not happening overnight,” Olivia Joslin said. “It’s not going to make their year this year in terms of the revenue that’s flowing through the pipes. But this is certainly going to be the primary mode of revenue. It’s going to have to come from AI visitors.”

Source: Publishers urged to embrace future where bot readers provide majority of revenue

MPA Boss Says AI Can ‘Bolster the Art of Storytelling’ and ‘Improve the Fan Experience’

Motion Picture Association Chairman Charles Rivkin walked a fine line at CinemaCon on Tuesday morning, acknowledging concerns about artificial intelligence, while also stressing its creative and commercial potential. “We’ve entered the era of AI,” Rivkin told cinema operators at the exhibition industry conference taking place this week in Las Vegas. “None of us should ignore its potential dangers. Nor should we dismiss its possibilities. 

Source: MPA Boss Says AI Can ‘Bolster the Art of Storytelling’ and ‘Improve the Fan Experience’

Canada’s SOCAN warns AI is ‘placing mounting pressure’ on livelihoods

A 2025 survey conducted by SOCAN and Pollara found that 81% of Canadians believe supporting local music creators is essential to the future of Canadian culture. SOCAN says it has mobilized a national campaign that generated 8,700 letters to government urging policymakers to block any exception that would allow unlicensed use of music for AI training purposes.

Source: Canada’s SOCAN warns AI is ‘placing mounting pressure’ on livelihoods

As Blockbuster Catalog Sales Slow, Dealmaking Volume Holds Steady

High-profile sales haven’t ceased; Miranda Lambert recently sold her catalog to Sony Music Publishing (plus Domain Capital), and the Quincy Jones estate partnered with HarbourView, for instance. Meanwhile, Warner Music’s poised to announce some presumably huge purchases, and DMN’s picked up on a couple noteworthy transactions that should soon receive public announcements. But in general, growing list of IP-heavy company buyouts aside, smaller-scale purchases are taking center stage.

Source: As Blockbuster Catalog Sales Slow, Dealmaking Volume Holds Steady

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