Summary

IMPF has established digital training webinars for members, surveyed their data needs and is working towards securing links with data platforms.

Activity

In 2022 IMPF hosted webinars on a range of different topics including a deep dive into data; new revenue streams from sectors such as gaming, the metaverse and NFTs; and managing royalties. IMPF also carried out a detailed survey of members’ digital and data needs. Results indicated that members had a strong interest in AI-based tagging and data collection tools. A webinar with AI tagging platform Disco focused on working with independent publishers took place in December.  Additionally, under the Project IMPF has commissioned templates for use by music publishers for licensing in the metaverse.

Who We Worked With

IMPF worked with a broad range of panellists in five Training & Digital Transition webinars hosted in 2023:

• “Can the streaming pie grow?” panel (March 03): Will Page, author of Tarzan Economics, visiting Fellow at London School of Economics and former Chief Economist at Spotify and PRS for Music; Ender Atis, COO, Budde Music and Board Member of IMPF; Vickie Nauman, founder of CrossBorderWorks; Helienne Lindvall, composer, author, Chair of ECSA and Board Member of The Ivors Academy.
• “Maximising revenues for music publishers”(April 21): Lisa Öjeklint, Head of Publishing Operations, Musixmatch; Robert Singerman, SVP, International Publishing, LyricFind; Jennifer Mitchell, President and Founder, Red Brick Songs; Mitch Rubin, Vice President, Digital Rights, 
• “Deep Dive into Data” (May 20): Lisa Selden, Global Head of Publishing Solutions – Spotify, Sylvain Piat, Director of Business – CISAC, Juliette Charonnat, Sales Marketing and Communications Director – Believe; Bryson Nobles, Co-Founder and CTO – Music Tech Works, and Gwenola Gicquel, Director of Online Licensing Administration – SACEM.
• “Managing Royalties; from tracking and matching to paying accurately and on time” (June 30): Elisa Amouyal, CEO – Talit MuZic Publishing; Hanna Grzeszczyk, Founder and Director – Media IP Rights; Eric Baptiste, Co-founder and CEO – Qwantum Rights Solutions; Lindsay Conlin, Director of Business Development – Exactuals; Jessica Treacy, Head of Operations and Royalty Distribution – IMRO; Colin Young, Founder and Owner – CC Young.
• “Disco – Working together with Independent Publishers” (December 07): Claire Lothian, Head of Customer Success – DISCO; Nuno Saraiva, Founding Director – Lusitanian Music Publishing.

Beneficiaries

The IMPF membership.

Outcomes/Next Steps

The EU project team is exploring the possibility of negotiating a network discount rate with data platforms for IMPF members.

This report is available to download here below.

Summary

The EU project team is exploring the possibility of negotiating a network discount rate with data platforms for IMPF members.  Activity details to follow shortly.

Activity

In March IMPF produced a generic model template for the licensing of NFTs.   IMPF secured external legal counsel, David Deakin of Lewis Silkin, to produce two template documents for IMPF members.

1. NFT Licence Terms
2. NFT Asset Licence Terms  (which attaches to the NFT to control the licence of assets granted to the buyer of the NFT)

The terms of reference for the external counsel included:

• IMPF membership covers a range of independent music publishers globally and IMPF would like to develop a licensing contract template that could be used by its members to deal with NFT related licensing.
• The likely licensees are distributors or other intermediaries who want to exploit music tracks via NFT platforms / marketplaces, or otherwise within related opportunities.
• The licence needs to be detailed and nuanced enough to deal with the technicalities of the NFT, but short and simple enough to be digestible and understandable.
• Draft as generically as possible, with a range of definitions linked to a flexible cover sheet / deal terms to enable it to be flexible for use across various scenarios.
• The NFT scenario will include a schedule of likely license terms that the licensee will need to include in its NFT sale – to cover the usage rights by the end user / purchaser of the NFT.
• The deal terms and overall structure will give direction to the publisher on advisable deal structures taking into account rights, usage, number of NFTs, platforms, restrictions, royalties and secondary market royalties on resale etc.
• Include drafting notes and lightweight explanations to help with these issues, including explanations of the likely practicalities of NFT creation and exploitation and the on-licensing of rights to end user / purchaser of the NFT.
• Ensure clarity about what rights are under the control of the publisher, as opposed to what may be under the control of PROs, and obviously distinguishing the rights from any sound recordings that may also need to be licensed by the partner separately.
• Include some balanced warranties, indemnities and limitations of liability.

The templates have been shared with IMPF members and are intended as a guide/draft only, given the geographically diverse nature of the IMPF membership, the varying legal jurisdictions, and the complexities of music publishing.

IMPF hosts a webinar for IMPF Members called “The AI Toolbox” on 30th May 2023.  AI is a big buzzword, but in reality, the music sector has been using AI-powered tools for years, and it can only accelerate. The webinar session will present some projects, tools or services that are using AI to provide music publishers and rights holders in general, with a new toolbox.