Microsoft is calling for the US and the EU to follow Australia in introducing rules that require technology companies to share revenue with news organisations and support journalism. The company, which stood against Facebook and Google in supporting the proposal, argues that it is necessary to impose such a levy to create a level playing field between large tech firms and independent media organizations.
Source: Microsoft urges US and EU to follow Australian digital news code
Google has launched its News Showcase product in the U.K., meaning the tech giant will now pay for news content in the country for the first time. The Silicon Valley firm has signed a deal with 120 British publications, including The Financial Times and Reuters, who will be paid a licensing fee to produce news extracts that appear in Google News Showcase.
Source: Google is going to start paying UK publishers for news
A court has ordered Telegram to block access to pirated movies, TV shows and music following a lawsuit filed in Israel. Local anti-piracy group ZIRA complained that the messaging platform does not properly respond to takedown notices, contrary to Telegram’s claims that it does. Telegram is now working with rightsholders to implement the injunction.
Source: Court Orders Telegram To Block Pirated Movies, TV Shows and Music * TorrentFreak
Copyright helps creators to protect their works from being used without permission. However, this right can also be abused. According to Los Angeles activist Sennett Devermont, a Beverly Hills cop used copyrighted music to prevent being filmed, perhaps hoping to trigger copyright filters. While the true motive remains unconfirmed, this isn’t an isolated incident.
Source: Are Cops Playing Music While Being Filmed to Trigger Copyright Filters? * TorrentFreak
Beatsource, the joint venture between Beatport and DJ City that services open-format DJs, has signed deals with independent distributors Empire and Create Music Group to create fully licensed DJ edits of some of the most popular tracks in their respective catalogs. The exclusive edits will be available beginning on Feb. 15 via Beatsource LINK, the streaming service launched by the company early last year.
Source: Beatsource to Offer Fully-Licensed DJ Edits in New Deal With Empire, Create Music
Youth-focused music streaming service Audiomack has reached licensing agreements with both Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment, the company announced today. The service previously struck a licensing agreement with Warner Music Group in Aug. 2019.
Source: Audiomack Signs Licensing Deals With UMG & Sony, Marking a Major Label Trifecta
Universal is the biggest recorded music rights-holder in the world; somewhere around a third of all music streams on Spotify are of tracks within UMG’s catalog of masters. This might explain why the share price of UK-based 7Digital, Triller’s B2B music licensing partner as of August 2020, has tumbled by nearly 10% in the past two days of trading.
UMG has just announced a global agreement with TikTok that “delivers equitable compensation for recording artists and songwriters.” It’s a direct slap in the face to Triller amid the dispute over artist payments. Michael Nash, Executive Vice President of Digital Strategy at UMG, says the two companies will now work more closely together.
Source: Amid Dispute with Triller, Universal Music Expands TikTok Partnership
When Canadian university student Aaron Ansuini wanted to email his professor about a point he made during an online lecture, a search for the teacher’s email address instead turned up a memorial page marking his death two years earlier. Despite his demise, Francois-Marc Gagnon is still lecturing for an online course on Canadian art history at Concordia University in Montreal via pre-recorded videos.
Source: Analysis: Class led by dead professor spotlights COVID-era content rights
TikTok now has fresh worldwide licensing deals in place with all three major record companies. After announcing deals with Sony Music in November and Warner Music Group in December, The ByteDance-owned video app revealed today (February 8) that it has struck an “expanded” global licensing agreement with Universal Music Group.
Source: TikTok and Universal Music Group sign global licensing deal