Music News Bulletin - 20/10/08

Bertelsmann today launches its new BMG Rights Management business, promising tailor-made services for songwriters and performers who want support in “the creation, marketing and licensing, collection and accounting, as well as advance financing of their music repertoire”
"The new organisation launches with a selection of European music catalogues that the company retained from the former Sony BMG portfolio. These include works from more than 200 artists and the company is planning to expand on this, initially with further European acts.
Bertelsmann says that its “core competency” will be “advising songwriters and performers in building their repertoire, supporting them with marketing and licensing services, and providing transparent coverage of all their rights management needs”. It will also provide financing during the rights-building process." [MusicWeek] [BillBoard]

The Mechanical-Copyright Protection Society (MCPS) has announced new rates and blanket licensing deals for UK independent production companies using library music
"The Independent Production Company (IPC) licence provides access to over 300,000 pieces of music from 150 music libraries covering all genres and styles.
The efficient ‘one-stop-shop’ system means only one application is required for all music use to be covered." [MusicWeek]

Online music piracy fell by 10% in 2008, according to new findings from Entertainment Media Research
"The company’s latest Digital Music Survey attributes the fall to the changing attitudes of internet service providers to piracy –earlier this year ISPs agreed to send letters to customers it suspects are sharing files under pressure from the BPI. he survey, which polls 1,500 UK consumers, also point to the popularity of music videos on YouTube as a further sign for optimism among the music industry." [MusicWeek]

U.K. Government Aims For ‘Digital Britain’
"The U.K. government is to develop a "Digital Britain" action plan in an effort to ensure the U.K. will be at the forefront of innovation and investment in the digital and communications industries. The report will be led by the first minister for communications, technology and broadcasting, Stephen Carter. The government says the sector is worth £52 billion ($89.9 billion) a year to the economy." [BillBoard]

Bush Signs Controversial Anti-Piracy Law
"U.S. President George W. Bush signed into law on Monday a controversial bill that would stiffen penalties for movie and music piracy at the federal level. The law creates an intellectual property czar who will report directly to the president on how to better protect copyrights both domestically and internationally. The Justice Department had argued that the creation of this position would undermine its authority." [BillBoard]