News - GESAC - The European Authors' Societies

9 November 2012

Author societies team up with European Commission, supports Europe’s breakthrough bands.

The European Border Breakers Awards is a musical highlight in Europe’s calendar. You may know that they are funded by the European Union’s Culture Programme. But did you also know that Buma Cultuur, a daughter organisation of the Dutch author society Buma, is a partner too?

Even in the Internet age it’s tough for artists to receive acclaim and generate sales outside of their home base. Yet Europe’s music diversity needs artists to ‘break borders’ by chancing their luck in foreign countries. The European Border Breakers Awards celebrate the intrepid and talented few who do manage – and encourages the rest of Europe’s musicians to follow in their footsteps.

5 November 2012

Author societies in the cloud

New technologies, and digital and cloud services are helping European music fans discover more music in new ways. Author societies provide licences for both digital and cloud services, ensuring that consumer benefits are matched by benefits for creators. This month, PRS for Music announced a new licensing deal with Amazon’s Cloud Player.

For collective rights management to be effective, it needs to keep up with and adapt to changes in how people consume creative endeavors.

Take music, for example. In the last couple of decades the ways people have listened to music have expanded beyond recognition. Who could have imagined, as we delighted in our new Walkmans back in 1993, the wealth of devices that we’d have access to today: Tablets, e-books, various mobile music players, smart phones, as well as computers.

25 October 2012

10 Reasons Why Authors’ Societies Love the internet!

FUN It’s a great way for people to enjoy creative works. And, as the major role of authors’ societies is to make an increasing number of creative works available to an increasingly broader public, we support this 100%!

CHOICE It gives access to a repertoire that has never been larger. From the most popular artists to ‘niche’ repertoires, all can be accessible to everyone in a click!

CONNECTIVITY The internet brings authors and their audiences from all around the world close together.

OPPORTUNITY The internet offers new and innovative business models for all types of music and other creative content, growing the licensing possibilities author societies can offer and therefore the streams of revenue open to all authors, not just a famous few.

EFFICIENCY Good, reliable data on creative works and how they are being used, facilitated by the internet, is indispensable for managing the rights associated with them. Efficient management means more revenue for authors and composers.

ENGAGEMENT Rightholders can get more involved with their audiences, as the Internet offers potential opportunities for new innovative models and creation of their works, knowing that their society ensures the protection of their rights and value of their works

CONVENIENCE The internet makes the administration of rights easier and more interactive. Online tracking of revenues or participating electronically on governance decisions affecting their societies is becoming more and more a reality for authors

TRANSPARENCY Users of music can research online to see which licensing model is best for them and members of authors’ societies can see how well their society has performed over the past months and years.

PROGRESS The internet seamlessly connects creators, consumers and businesses, creating a virtuous circle of economic, social and cultural activity.

Everybody loves the internet!

17 October 2012

A case study in collective rights management

Nowadays, a lot of talk goes on at EU-level about the practice of collective rights management and the work of author societies in general, especially in light of the Collective Rights Management Directive proposal that came out in July.

Although it’s vitally important for both creators and cultural diversity in Europe, collective rights management can seem complicated! To clarify the issue – and demonstrate how it works in practice – here is a case study of how one particular European author society approaches collective rights management.