After three years of discussion, and despite a massive misinformation campaign orchestrated by tech giants, the European Parliament has just adopted the Copyright Directive.
Anders Lassen, President of GESAC, said: “This is an unprecedented victory for European creators, who will now be able to exercise their rights and receive fair remuneration from platforms such as YouTube. Europe is adopting a balanced regulation that will allow the development of the European digital economy hand-in-hand with the creative sector.”
Véronique Desbrosses, GESAC’s General Manager, added: “We are extremely grateful to the MEPs that have voted for culture and fairness in the digital economy. This was not only a crucial decision for creators and our sector, but also sent a strong message to citizens that tactics of intimidation and manipulation from a handful of giant companies will not be allowed to influence European policy making. Many have contributed to the success of this directive, however the tireless work of MEPs such as Mr Cavada, Ms Trupel, Mr Voss, Ms Berès, Mr Ehler, Ms Rozière, Mr Joulaud and Ms Costa deserves to be singled out for applause.”
GESAC groups 32 of the largest authors’ societies in the European Union, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. They defend and promote the rights of more than 1 million creators and rights holders in the areas of music, audiovisual works, visual arts, and literary and dramatic works.
The Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) has today welcomed the result of the European Parliament Vote which has seen the Copyright Directive adopted.
Eleanor McEvoy, Chair of IMRO said, “This is a fantastic result for the music and broader creative sectors, and I would like to thank those MEPs who have been continually supportive of our position during the past three years. Today’s result is the official recognition by European institutions that culture has meaning, that it has value, that it is worth something. I am delighted for our 12,000 members – songwriters and publishers who work hard every day, and who share their output with the world to enjoy. It now means that creators will be paid fairly for their work, and that is absolutely fundamental.”
Victor Finn, CEO of IMRO said, “This is a historic day for Irish music and the broader European cultural sector. We thank those MEPs who have been supportive in recent years, for their determination, even in the face of apparently intense challenge. The next step will be transposition into Irish law, and at IMRO, we look forward to continuing to engage with our political representatives, so many of whom who have been very supportive of Irish music.”
Two months ahead of the European elections, a Harris Interactive poll shows that European citizens want stronger regulation of tech giants like Google and Facebook. 6,600 people were surveyed from France, Germany, Poland, Spain, Italy, the Czech Republic, Greece and Romania.
The poll indicates
that a large majority of Europeans think the latest EU Parliamentary term has
not done enough to regulate big tech giants’ practices. Ahead of a crucial vote
on the EU Copyright Directive, respondents would like to see the EU create
safeguards so that dominant tech companies are obliged to remunerate creators
fairly when their works are used on internet platforms.
Europeans want EU institutions to
step up.
64 % of Europeans polled
believe that over the past 5 years the European Union has not done enough to
regulate the power of the U.S. Tech Giants.*
That’s a strong message for European
politicians with two months to go before parliamentary elections. The debate
over the tech giants is intensifying around issues like “fake news,” market
dominance – the copyright directive regulating the distribution of content on
the big platforms is part of this – as well as revenue tax planned at national
and European level.
Europeans are convinced that the U.S. Tech Giants are
not playing fair.
74 % of Europeans think that
when the Tech Giants speak out on an issue, they do so to protect their own
economic interests rather than the public interest.
The use of their massive communications
infrastructure for their own commercial and political agenda, and the millions
they spend defending their positions, seems to have led Europeans to consider that
the tech giants are neither neutral nor altruistic.
Europeans would like to see artists and creators get
better deals for internet distribution.
80% of Europeans are in favor of the European
Union implementing rules to guarantee the remuneration of artists and content
creators for the
distribution of their content on internet platforms.
The results of the poll show that Europeans care about creators being paid fairly
by large online platforms. One week from a landmark vote on copyright, their
views send a strong message to Members of the European Parliament, who will
soon decide the fate of a Copyright Directive that tech giants are vehemently
trying to block.
This underscores the sentiment that the big
platforms are capturing almost the entire market value. It’s only fair that
this value be shared with the millions of European creators whose work is
distributed online, generating profits for the big platforms.
A vote over the final text of the European
Copyright Directive will take place during the March 25-28 plenary session of
the European Parliament. The Copyright Directive has improved over the nearly
3-year legislative process, with several compromises reached and safeguards for
EU citizens integrated.
This text is about rebalancing economic relations between powerful
platforms like YouTube, Facebook and Google News and the artists, press
publishers and other creators whose content makes those platforms successful. The
Copyright Directive also provides legal certainty for the creator community and
the entire cultural sector by providing wider access to educational material,
text and data mining and better contractual guarantees for fair remuneration.
But the public
debate has turned bitter, with internet users increasingly spooked by
misleading buzzwords like ‘upload filters’ ‘link taxes’ and ‘censorship
machines,’ terms made popular by opponents of the directive and amplified by
the U.S. tech giants, who want to preserve the status quo and kill the
Directive as a whole.
Though
Europeans are wary of the U.S. tech giants, their influence is clearly being
felt as the Parliament prepares to vote on the final version of the Copyright
Directive. Voting to pass it could yet change public opinion over this current
term’s impotence before the elections.
*i.e.
large American internet companies, such as Google, Facebook, etc.
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Over the past several years IMRO has significantly enhanced the range of online services available to members by streamlining the royalty administration process resulting in a considerable reduction in overall administration costs. Consequently, we are moving ever closer to paperless processes and the delivery of further associated cost and service benefits to members.
Using state of the art cloud-based technology the IMRO Member Online Portal focuses on the delivery of a premium service to members. Recent enhancements includes the following:
A security update to allow members to see who they have authorised third party access their online account (band mangers, accountants, legal advisers etc).
The ability to add usage details to already registered works.
A facility to enable members to notify IMRO of broadcasts of their works taking place outside of Ireland.
The gig notification feature has been streamlined to mirror functionality contained in the recently launched IMRO Gigs App.
Further enhancements
are currently in development phase and will be launched later in the year.
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In response to the fast-changing digital landscape and the inevitable ongoing effects on copyright law and practice, IMRO has partnered with the Law Society of Ireland’s Education Department to create an IMRO adjunct Professorship of Intellectual Property (IP) Law. This position will be a key resource to the Law Society in broadening the knowledge base of students in the expanding area of IP and copyright law. The expectation is that a solid grounding in this field of law will entice a new generation of lawyers into the music and entertainment industries.
The inaugural professor is Dr
Mark Hyland. His area of specialisation
is copyright law and his PhD thesis, awarded from Newcastle University in 2014,
concerned the intersection between Copyright Law and Private International law.
His doctoral thesis critically evaluated online copyright infringements and the
application of the Tort Private International Law rules to such infringements.
The professor’s expertise will be
used to create a new IP module at the Law Society’s’ Law School and the newly
appointed professor will deliver an IMRO annual lecture. He will be centrally
involved in course design for the Law Society’s professional and post professional
qualification courses and will lecture on relevant professional training
courses, seminars and conferences.
Director of Education at the Law Society T.P Kennedy says; “IP is a growing area of practice because of the tech companies that have set up their headquarters in Dublin. IMRO’s work in protecting the rights of Irish composers, authors and songwriters is being achieved in conjunction with solicitors and barristers. It is lawyers who are spearheading the implementation of these rights and therefore we need to train up the next generation of graduates.”
The Law Society’s Law School
offers pre-qualification training for those wishing to train as solicitors as
well as a range of accredited post qualification courses and ongoing training
for solicitors.
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Those of you who attended the 2018 Annual General Meeting (“AGM”) will recall that the Chair advised that the board of directors had initiated a governance review. Since the AGM, the board of IMRO has continued to work with Professor Niamh Brennan with particular regard to the election of directors. Arising from that work, the board of directors convened an EGM on 6th February last so that these two changes could be approved by the membership.
The first change approved is that on a ballot to elect directors, proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (“PR”) is adopted in substitution for the current “first past the post” method. This change to the articles of association permits the board of directors to make regulations which will facilitate PR voting. The board sought the advice of Professor Brendan Murphy, Head Of Mathematics, UCD, and he advised that in a contested ballot to elect directors, PR provides a more democratic means of electing directors whilst maintaining the weighted-voting structure of the membership categories.
The second change approved at the EGM is that directors who have served twenty
years will not be eligible for nomination for election or appointed by the members
for a further term. Moreover, it is proposed that external directors, who are
co-opted by the board, and who have served twelve years may not be co-opted for
a further term.
Good corporate governance practice dictates
that maximum tenures for directors ought to be in place to ensure that
directors’ independent judgement is not compromised through time served.
Regular rotation of directors is considered
to be healthy in all organisations and keeps the governance of the organisation
invigorated and assists in preventing unhealthy alliances as between directors
themselves or vis a vis a long-serving director and the executive; introducing
tenure limits helps to ensure that in the case of external directors, the board
at any given time, can ensure the right mix of skill sets is present;
It is in the interests of good corporate
governance and orderly succession planning, that new people with industry
experience are appointed to the Board of IMRO and will be a positive catalyst
for the rejuvenation of the board of directors as it will be necessary for
members to find new directors to elect;
Over time, this amendment will allow for more frequent rotation of
directors and will therefore result in a greater number of members having
access to board directorships. Furthermore,
the manner of the introduction of term limits will result in an orderly
transition, in that there will be a gradual replacement of long-standing
directors.
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IMRO has campaigned vigorously for the past number of years to achieve fairer remuneration for the creative community in the online environment. We welcome the agreement reached in trilogue discussions between the European institutions on the Copyright Directive in the Digital Single Market. The Directive sets out an important principle of fair and proportionate remuneration for authors for the online use of their works.
Victor Finn, CEO of IMRO said, “This is a hugely welcome result for the valuing of creativity across Europe. Creators including our over 12,000 IMRO members have been waiting for this outcome, a strong signal from our policy-makers that the system, in recognising opportunities with technology, at the same time values culture, values creative work, and values creators. While the text requires final review, we hope that we will now move towards its speedy adoption”
Eleanor McEvoy, Chair, IMRO said, “Creativity matters. Culture matters. Music matters. The political system agrees. This agreement sends a message across Europe that as we advance technologically, as we build our economies and societies together, creativity is at the heart. We are thankful to policy-makers who have been standing up for creativity in the negotiations so far, and we look forward to engaging further as the process is finalised.”
CISAC Director-General Gadi Oron said: “The agreement in the trilogue is an important step forward to rebalance the digital market and move towards fairer remuneration for creators of all repertoires. This is a welcome outcome from a process that has taken three years of intense work and negotiation, and we hope that EU institutions will now formally adopt the directive without further delay.”
The Final Plenary vote in the European Parliament will take place between March 27 and April 18, 2019.
The University of Limerick announces an international composition competition to find new and original ceremonial music to be performed live at the University’s Conferring Ceremonies.
The University invites submission of original music compositions of a celebratory and ceremonial nature that draw cultural and/or spiritual inspiration from its geographical location on the banks of the River Shannon. Composers of all nationalities are invited to submit newly composed musical works for trumpet and theatre pipe organ in four parts.
The winning composition will be selected by an international jury and its composer will be awarded a prize of €5,000.
Competition Criteria • The competition is open to composers of all nationalities. Only one composition will be accepted from each composer. • Compositions must be newly composed and scored for Trumpet (B flat or E flat/D) and Theatre Pipe Organ (Compton Theatre Organ: 3 manuals, 12 ranks, 2.5 octave pedal board) • The composition must be in four sections, as follows:
Processional 1* – Entrance of Graduands For organ only Duration: between and 3 and 6 minutes Form: AB (A: 1.5 minutes, B: 1.5 minutes) with options of ABA and ABAB
Processional 2 – Entrance of Academic Staff For organ and trumpet Duration: 2.5 minutes
Processional 3 – Entrance of President For organ and trumpet Duration: 1.5 minutes
Recessional – Exit of President, Academic staff and Graduates *Same music as Processional 1, scored for organ and trumpet Duration: between and 3 and 6 minutes Form: AB (A: 1.5 minutes, B: 1.5 minutes) with options of ABA and ABAB
Applicants must also submit an arrangement of the composition (all four sections) for theatre pipe organ only.
Compositions received will be judged by an international jury, whose decisions shall be final.
The composer of the winning composition will be awarded a prize of €5,000.
While the copyright of each composition received remains with its composer, the University reserves the right to present performances of the winning composition at all conferring ceremonies, and where the University deems it appropriate, at other UL ceremonial events.
Submission Guidelines • Only submissions made by post to the following address, received on or before Friday 26 April 2019, will be accepted:
UL Ceremonial Music Composition Competition Irish World Academy of Music and Dance University of Limerick Limerick Ireland
• Compositions must be submitted in the form of a printed full score, accompanied by a set of printed parts. The organ arrangement must also be submitted in the form of a printed score. • Applicants must also submit an audio recording of the composition (synthesised or performed) and PDF versions of the scores and parts on a memory stick. • All composition materials must be submitted anonymously and without any abbreviations, initials or other recognisable marks. Composition materials submitted should be marked with a logo or pseudonym. • The submission must include a sealed envelope bearing the logo or pseudonym on the outside and containing inside the title of the composition, the composer’s name, postal address, telephone number and e-mail address. • The sealed envelope must also include a short biography of the composer (no more than 150 words) and a short artist’s statement written by the composer about the composition (no more than 150 words). • The sealed envelope must also include a statement signed at the bottom by the composer, in which he/she declares:
that he/she is the sole author of the composition submitted;
that the composition being entered is unpublished, has never been performed and has not received prizes or awards in any other competitions;
that he/she understands and accepts the submission criteria and guidelines in their entirety;
that he/she accepts the judgment of the competition jury.
• Submitted materials will not be returned to applicants. • Enquiries: Professor Mel Mercier mel.mercier@nullul.ie
O Emperor have been announced as the winner of the RTÉ Choice Music Prize Irish Album of the Year 2018 for the album Jason (self released). The judging panel, made up of Irish music media professionals, deliberated at length earlier tonight before choosing the winning album.
Chairman of the judging panel
Tony Clayton-Lea commented “Once again 2018 was a terrific year for the
quality of Irish albums released, and the judging process reflected this.
Of all the years that I have been chairman of the judging panel, this year was
the closest in terms of winner and runner up, with Kojaque’s album Deli
Daydreams pipped at the post by O Emperor.”
O
Emperor received a cheque for
€10,000, a prize which has been provided by the Irish Music Rights Organisation
(IMRO) and the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) – as well as a
specially-commissioned award.
The
winner of the RTÉ Choice
Music Prize Irish Song of the Year was also announced and Picture
This won the prize for their song “One Drink”. Decided by
the public via the RTÉ and
Choice Music Prize websites, fans were given the chance to get behind their
favourite song.
The
sold-out event in Vicar Street was hosted by RTÉ 2FM’s
Eoghan McDermott and was broadcast live on the station on a specially-extended
Louise McSharry show.
RTÉ2 will broadcast a one-hour TV highlights programme of the RTÉ Choice Music Prize featuring performances from the acts and interviews by Bláthnaid Treacy on Sunday March 17th at 11.15pm.
Earlier
during the day, the “Conversations” conference took place at IMRO, which was
attended by international and Irish industry.
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Contemporary Music Centre and New Music Dublin present On the Radar – interactive career development session at New Music Dublin Festival
Date: 3 March 2019 Time: 17:30 Venue: Kevin Barry Room, National Concert Hall Admission: FREE
Are you a composer or performer navigating a career in the world of contemporary music?
This interactive event hosted by NMD Artistic Director John Harris will discuss how composers and performers working in the field of contemporary music, can get ‘On the radar’ of commissioners, festivals, the airwaves, print media and others, and will include contributions from delegates on the NMDX programme.
Presented in partnership with the Contemporary Music Centre, Ireland.
Panel Gretchen Amussen(independent consultant / former Director of External Affairs & International Relations, Paris Conservatoire) Lawrence Cherney – Soundstreams, Canada. Liam Herb– Other Minds, USA Kate Molleson– Hear & Now, BBC Radio 3, UK Sam Wilcock – Creative Manager (Orchestral), Music Sales Limited
Venue Kevin Barry Room, National Concert Hall Earlsfort Terrace Dublin 2 Ireland Venue Contact Info 01 417 0000 www.nch.ie
