Rights

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

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

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

Dolphin Partners With Deepfake Protection Firm Loti AI

Amid the explosion of unauthorized AI-generated content, entertainment marketing and production firm Dolphin has partnered with Loti AI, a deepfake detection and takedown startup aimed at protecting companies and celebrity clients against fake accounts, false endorsements, deepfakes and unlicensed distribution of content.

Source: Dolphin Partners With Deepfake Protection Firm Loti AI (EXCLUSIVE)

The Hipgnosis Songs Fund catalog has just been valued at $2.36bn

Kroll’s report cites an unnamed independent third-party valuation firm that valued the HSF portfolio at USD $2.36 billion as of August 1, 2024. That’s around $150 million more than the total amount HSF spent buying its portfolio over the years ($2.206 billion, according to financial documents). It’s also around$150 million more than the portfolio’s estimated enterprise value of $2.20 billion when Blackstone acquired it this summer.

Source: The Hipgnosis Songs Fund catalog has just been valued at $2.36bn… around $150m more than HSF’s enterprise value when Blackstone acquired it

ASCAP and Sacem form strategic alliance that will include a new AI task force

US collective management organization ASCAP and French counterpart Sacem have announced a new strategic partnership that will see the two CMOs share technologies, extend a digital licensing partnership, bring their member creators together, and launch a new AI task force. The new partnership, announced on Wednesday (October 30), builds on earlier strategic collaborations between the two, including a 2022 digital licensing partnership.

Source: ASCAP and Sacem form strategic alliance that will include a new AI task force

GEMA Unveils AI Licensing Model Details, Including Developer Fee

GEMA has officially revealed some of the details behind its licensing model, including a mandatory fee, for generative AI platforms. Payments should also be made for “all economic benefits that can arise from the subsequent use of AI-generated music,” including in public establishments and on streaming services, because this music resulted from an initial library of protected media, according to GEMA.

Source: GEMA Unveils AI Licensing Model Details, Including Developer Fee

UK prime minister: AI companies should pay publishers for content

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said in a letter to the News Media Association that his government “recognizes the basic principle” that publishers should seek compensation for the use of their content by artificial intelligence companies. Marking the start of the NMA‘s annual “Journalism Matters” week, the Labour leader said both AI and the media were “central” to the government’s growth goals and he hoped to “rebalance” the relationship between platforms and publishers using the Digital Markets and Consumers Act.

Source: Keir Starmer: AI companies should pay publishers for content

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