These important pieces of research are extremely timely given industry debates around creators' earnings from music streaming. Photo credit: Shutterstock
Following the Government's encouraging response to the DCMS Select Committee's recommendations, The Intellectual Property Office have today published research on “Creators’ Earnings in the Digital Age” – an independent academic research report commissioned by the IPO from Ulster University.
The report contains data and analysis which highlights the rise of music streaming, and explores various issues and arguments that have played out during the DCMS Select Committee’s music streaming inquiry. You can read the report in full on the UK Government's website.
There is also a second report out today which looks specifically at the issue of buyouts of composer royalties in audio-visual streaming. This is something the MU and the Ivors Academy are actively working to address with their Composers Against Buyouts campaign.
You can also read the IPO's report on "Buyout contracts in the UK audio-visual commissioning sector" in full on the UK Government's website.
The industry steering board for the research included the MU, The Ivors Academy, BPI, AIM, MPA, FAC and PRS for Music.
Information to help fuel the debate and focus minds
Naomi Pohl, Deputy General Secretary of the MU, said:
“These important pieces of research are extremely timely given industry debates around creators' earnings from music streaming and our campaign to defend media composers' royalties.
“Thank you to the researchers and IPO particularly for their time and dedication to the extremely complex and controversial issue of creators' earnings from streaming. The information they have made available in their report will help to fuel the debate and focus minds, as well as informing Government policy in this area.”
Far more data must be made available by those who license, collect and distribute royalties
Graham Davies, CEO of The Ivors Academy, said:
“Digital continues to change how music creators are paid and yet there has been a notable lack of publicly available data and research to guide opinion and policy. The Ivors Academy has led calls for objective research and thanks the IPO, and Universities of Ulster, Middlesex and Leeds for this important report.
“The Academy also welcomes the Government’s commitments to further research but, if the music industry is to meet its obligations for trust and transparency, far more data must be made available by those who license, collect and distribute royalties in future.”
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