With Macmillan’s controversial embargo on new release library e-books set to begin in just two weeks, PW has learned that the King County (WA) Library System has decided it will no longer purchase embargoed e-book titles from the publisher.
Source: Major Public Library System Will Boycott Macmillan E-books
As the value of music publishing catalogs have multiplied, so have the ways in which forward-thinking companies like Downtown, Round Hill, Kobalt, ole/Anthem, Primary Wave and Create Group monetized those catalogs, says MiDiA entertainment industry analyst Mark Mulligan.
Source: Publishers Are Driving A Full Stack Music Revolution [MIDiA’s Mark Mulligan]
In March, the European Parliament approved the Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market. But more work lies ahead as EU member states must now update their national copyright laws by 2021 to comply with the directive.
Source: Frankfurt Book Fair 2019: Stage Two for Europe’s Copyright Update
France is pushing for the creation of a European-wide regulator of digital platforms such as Google to sanction possible abuse of power, a French presidency official said on Tuesday, citing a dispute over EU copyright law as an example.
Source: France to redouble efforts to create EU tech regulator after copyright spat
Bayern Munich, Germany’s most successful football club, has partnered with the blockchain-oriented venture of fan engagement firm, Stryking Entertainment. According to the agreement, Stryking, which is itself a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based Animoca Brands – a mobile games developer, will issue and distribute digital collectibles based on Bayern players.
Source: Bayern Munich Partners with Stryking for Blockchain-Based Collectibles
There is an imbalance that exists between what is paid to the recorded music side of this industry and what is paid to songwriters; it’s not fair and equitable as it currently stands. In the old days it didn’t matter, because when I started, which was the old days, 90% of signed artists wrote their own songs.
Source: My Manifesto: Merck Mecuriadis
There is nothing that has done more damage to the music publishing industry, and probably nothing more likely to torpedo the effectiveness of the new Mechanical Licensing Collective than the single most intractable problem in the entire music industry: the simple inability of songwriters to get along.
Source: 4 Steps Songwriters Should Take Now To Prepare For The Music Modernization Act
A federal court in Virginia has granted Megaupload’s request to keep the civil lawsuits filed by music and movie companies on hold until April next year. With the criminal case still pending, this standstill could last for years. Meanwhile, Kim Dotcom is plugging the upcoming token sale of the new content publishing and monetization platform K.im.
Source: MPAA and RIAA’s Megaupload Lawsuits Remain on Hold, Perhaps For Years – TorrentFreak
Lawyers for Perry reiterated many of the core arguments of their defense in the new filing, including that the only claimed similarities between the two songs are small “indisputably commonplace elements,” that the plaintiffs lack a copyright registration for the beat in question itself, and that the plaintiffs didn’t prove that the authors of “Dark Horse” could have had access to “Joyful Noise” prior to writing the pop song.
Source: Katy Perry Appeals $2.78 Million ‘Dark Horse’ Copyright Case Ruling
Unlike many TV music competitions, contestants on Netflix’s hip-hop show “Rhythm + Flow” aren’t required to sign contracts. “We took our own unique approach, compared to what you see on linear [television],” Brandon Riegg, Netflix’s vice president of nonfiction series and comedy specials, tells Variety. “There is no label deal.
Source: Unlike Many Music Competitions, ‘Rhythm + Flow’ Contestants Aren’t Required to Sign Contracts