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YouTube Opens More Pathways for Creators to Make Money on the Platform

The Google-owned company plans to let more video creators earn money from the platform, lowering the barriers to entry for its partner program, according to audio from a YouTube all-hands meeting on Thursday. YouTube is expected to make the announcement at an event on Tuesday. It “is the largest expansion we’ve done in several years creating new ways for creators to join the program,” Amjad Hanif, vice president of product management and creator products, said in the staff meeting.

Source: YouTube Opens More Pathways for Creators to Make Money on the Platform

Warner Music’s Acquisition Group Raises $535 Million to Buy…Something 

Warner Music announced early Wednesday morning that its acquisition group has raised $535 million in a secured senior notes deal. What it intends to do with those funds, which now add up to nearly a billion dollars on hand, remains to be seen.

Source: Warner Music’s Acquisition Group Raises $535 Million — and They Could Spend It on Any Number of Things

Publishers Ask Royalty Board for 32% Rate Increase From Streaming Services

The NMPA asked the Copyright Royalty Board for a 32.4% increase in the headline rate to 20% of a digital service’s revenue for the term covering 2023 through 2027. That compares to the year-by-year escalating headline rate from Phonorecords III, which covered the term of 2018-2022, which culminated in 15.1% of a service’s revenue in the final year.

Source: Publishers Ask Royalty Board for 32% Rate Increase From Streaming Services

House Panel Weighs Moves to Rein in Big Tech, Aid Media

Newspapers, TV stations and other news outlets that have seen their revenue siphoned away by online platforms could get an assist from Congress under legislation that a House panel took up Friday. If passed, the legislation would grant news organizations a four-year exemption from antitrust laws to band together to negotiate compensation from online platforms that use their content, including Facebook and Google.

Source: House Panel Weighs Moves to Rein in Big Tech, Aid Media

Sony takes wraps off secret Unreal Engine project

Sony Corporation of America has announced a new subsidiary called Sony Immersive Music Studios, which is focused on “developing immersive music experiences through the power of creativity and technology”. The division is led by digital entertainment veteran Brad Spahr, who according to Sony is “an award-winning developer of next-generation experiences at the intersection of music, immersive reality, and gaming”.

Source: Sony takes wraps off secret Unreal Engine project, unveils new subsidiary: Sony Immersive Music Studios

Accessing music publishing money in China is ‘incredibly complex’ 

Given the historical ubiquity of piracy in China, formal licensing deals weren’t an easy win, and getting royalty reports isn’t a given (the exclusive arrangements signed between the major labels and Tencent, which are said to be expiring in 2020/2021, pay out ‘minimum guarantee’ advances instead of royalties). Still, it’s a marked improvement for labels from the past situation in China – no income and no licenses.

Source: ‘Accessing publishing money in China is incredibly complex. This is the beginning of a marathon, not a gold rush.’

Tom Hanks WWII Film ‘Greyhound’ Alters Course to Apple TV +

Originally on the Sony Pictures theatrical calendar for Father’s Day weekend, the film instead will become the biggest feature film commitment made by Apple to premiere on Apple TV+. It is the latest in a growing indication that Apple is making its move, and becoming as aggressive as any streamer or studio in auctions for the acquisition of films and TV projects.

Source: Tom Hanks WWII Film ‘Greyhound’ Alters Course In Apple Deal: Film Will Premiere On Apple TV +

LiveXLive to launch pay-per-view live stream music events 

According to the company, its PPV platform “will drive a new revenue-sharing model for both artists and LiveXLive via digital ticket sales, fan tipping, digital meet and greets, merchandise sales and sponsorship.” LiveXLive’s first pay-per-view event will be the 11E1even Group-produced virtual concert series Live From Out There, featuring more than 45 live performances starting on Friday, May 15 and continuing for four weeks until June 7.

Source: LiveXLive to launch pay-per-view live stream music events ‘to drive new revenue-share model for artists’

Spotify now enables fans to pay artists money direct

The streaming platform has long enabled artists to highlight a piece of music on their profile via the ‘Artist’s Pick’ headline. Now, Spotify has launched a sister version of this feature, ‘Artist Fundraising Pick’, which allows acts to pin a specific destination on their profile where fan can pay them ‘tips’.

Source: Spotify now enables fans to pay artists money direct, via Cash App and PayPal.me partnerships

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