Youtube channels are using AI to steal words and photographs from paywalled news content and reproduce articles wholesale without the consent of publishers. The practice has been highlighted by freelance journalist Rob McGibbon after a first-person account of his estrangement from his late father written for the Daily Mail was lifted wholesale and reproduced by the Youtube Channel: “The World News.”
Source: Google ‘handling stolen goods’ with Youtube theft of paywalled news articles
Tony Latham, a music industry veteran, has founded Royalty Access Studio (RAS), a platform to provide advances against future royalty payments to artists and songwriters worldwide. Latham’s new project promises “transparent and ethical alternative to traditional royalty financing, with a streamlined application process, no credit checks, and straightforward documentation.”
A broad array of leading automakers and technology companies have sent a letter to the Chairs and Ranking Members of the Senate and House Judiciary Committees, asking them to advance the American Music Fairness Act (AMFA). The legislation will require big radio companies that made $13.6 billion in advertising revenue last year to pay the artists whose music they currently play for free.
The impact of artificial intelligence, particularly generative AI, on the media and entertainment industries was a topic of debate at the Media & Telecoms 2025 & Beyond Conference in London on Tuesday. And some industry executives suggested that an alliance of media players could be the best strategy to protect copyright and open up opportunities for media companies in the AI age.
Source: “NATO for News”: Is a Joint Effort by Media Companies the Way to Go in the Age of AI?
The deal brings to a close one of the music industry’s most high-profile ownership disputes. Swift confirmed the news on Friday (May 30) in a handwritten letter to her fans. The transaction involves the master rights to Swift’s albums Taylor Swift, Fearless, Speak Now, Red, 1989, and Reputation – recordings that have been at the center of a six-year battle over artist ownership rights.
Source: Taylor Swift buys back master rights to first six albums from Shamrock Capital
Universal Music, Warner Music and Sony Music are in talks with Udio and Suno to license their music to the artificial intelligence startups, Billboard has confirmed, in deals that could help settle blockbuster lawsuits over AI music. A year after the labels filed billion-dollar copyright cases against Udio and Suno, all three majors are discussing deals in which they would collect fees and receive equity in return for allowing the startups to use music to train their AI models.
Source: Major Labels in Licensing Talks With A.I. Companies Suno & Udio Amid Blockbuster Lawsuit
Rezonate Music Rights has launched with $150 million in backing from Bridgepoint Credit to acquire music producer royalty rights globally. The London-based investment platform was co-founded by Cam Blackwood, the producer behind albums by artists George Ezra, Tom Walker, and Jack Savoretti, and Tom Tyler, who has over 20 years of experience in senior financial roles at the London Stock Exchange Group.
Source: Rezonate Music Rights launches with $150m backing from Bridgepoint to acquire producer catalogs
The International Confederation of Music Publishers (ICMP) has released its first-ever analysis of global music publishing, surveying 16 major music markets. The headline finding? Music publishing brings in a little over $11 billion annually in those markets. The number includes publishers’ direct revenue, plus distributions to publishers and songwriters from collective management organizations (CMOs).
Source: Music publishing brings in $11.1bn annually across 16 major markets, first-ever ICMP survey finds
The House of Lords has dealt a fourth defeat to the government over its plans to allow tech companies to use copyrighted material to train their models. The Lords, who are looking for more protections for artists from AI, rejected the latest amendment to the Data (Use and Access) Bill on Monday. Peers backed calls for greater transparency after musicians such as Sir Elton John warned of the threat to creative industries.
Source: Government AI copyright plan suffers fourth House of Lords defeat
The major music companies are reportedly in licensing talks with controversial AI music generators Udio and Suno. That’s according to Bloomberg, which reported on Sunday (June 1), citing people familiar with the discussions, that Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, and Sony Music Entertainment are seeking license fees from the platforms plus “a small amount” of equity in both Suno and Udio.
Source: Labels in licensing talks with AI music generators Suno and Udio (report)