News

A great many actors have a stake in the digital world, so bringing about concrete and tangible change requires carefully thought-out alliance building and pooled resources. Everyone, from authors and performers through to technology companies, deserves to have their voices heard before decisions are made.

Finnish author society Teosto is an active player in the digital debate in Finland. The copyright organisation representing more than 26,000 music authors and publishers recently joined forces with recording industry trade association IFPI, the media company Sanoma Entertainment and Nokia to take stock of Finland’s digital situation and publish an agenda for change.

We’ve just published three landmark studies on this site that analyse where music in Europe stands today, the opportunities and challenges it faces and the way forward.

The impact of piracy on the cultural diversity of European Music addresses the threat of piracy and calls for firm action to be taken now to help reverse the damage already done.

The online music market in Europe- New Business Models and Consumer Choice is an in-depth assessment of how the Internet is transforming how we enjoy music and what industry is doing to help consumers access music in a convenient and legal way.

The Truth About Licensing Music in Europe examines the trends and problems facing the music industry, proposes solutions that serve everyone’s interests – and rebuts some common myths about author societies.

You can access all three studies here.

The studies were prepared by IFPI, the trade association representing the worldwide recording industry, in collaboration with Gesac – The European Grouping of Societies of Authors and Composers – and ICMP, the world trade association representing the interests of the music publishing community internationally.

Anton REIXA is, since the May 8, the new President of the Spanish Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers (SGAE). He has also taken on the functions of President of the Board of Directors and of the Administration Board, by majority decision of the new Board of Directors.

Born in Vigo in 1957,  he holds a degree in philology and is a poet, composer, scriptwriter, film and television director and producer. He has been the president of the audiovisual production company Filmanova since 1999 and was the president of Cluster Audiovisual of Galicia.  He currently collaborates on the programme of Onda Cero Julia en la Onda. As a multimedia artist, Anton REIXA started his career writing poetry within the Grupo de Communicación Rompente (1975).  He was a lyricist and singer of the group Os Resentidos (1982-94).  He has been also prolific in the area of video creation, producing numerous video clips; his last work in this area, Leccions de Cousas, was shown at the Centro Galego de Arte Contemporanea (CGAC, Galician Centre for Contemporary Arts) of Santiago de Compostela until October 2011.  His last published poetry book is Látego de Algas (August 2008).  As an executive movie and television producer, he has been director, scriptwriter and producer of the movies El Lápiz del Carpintero and Hotel Tívoli.

Wherever they are based, authors’ societies are at the heart of the action – and the cultural life of their community.

Here are just a couple of examples of the cultural activities that authors’ societies are engaging with now.

In the UK, the long-awaited Jubilee weekend has finally arrived. To help celebrations go off with a bang PRS for Music, the London-based organisation that licenses the public use of music, has just announced that it will cut music license charges for street parties and other non-profit community events taking place over the long weekend.

Similarly, Sacem – a French authors’ society representing some 137 000 creators – is taking part in the prestigious Cannes festival. They’ll be there in force with their partners to back a campaign promoting composers and film music – “Talents Cannes”. If you’re at the festival, make sure you pass by the Pavillon Cannes Soundtrack – a space dedicated to film music – to meet the composers bringing the films you love to life.