THIS WEEK IN THE MUSIC BIZ 
July 20, 2005 Edition
* Online Music Distribution Providing Both Opportunities And Challenges
* 2nd Annual "Innovation In Music & Entertainment Awards"
* SBC Blue Room Goes Back Stage With Exclusive Behind-The-Scenes
* Clubplanet.com Presents The Launch Of NocheLatino.com
* Twang Media Proudly Announces The Launch Of Airplay Direct
* Wurld Media Signs Agreement With The Orchard
* Music Industry Stock Watch Research Study Commenced
* First DVDPlus To Be Released In The U.S.
* BMG Music Service Launches Exclusive Music And Video Promotion
Online Music Distribution Providing Both Opportunities And Challenges
Online music distribution is set to grow significantly over the next few years, forcing industry to reconsider their business models and posing regulatory challenges to governments, according to a new OECD report on the digital music industry.
The rise of online music sales has implications for a wide range of players, including artists, consumers, the record industry, and new digital intermediaries. The OECD underlines the positive potential of digital distribution, both as a new business model and as a new social and cultural phenomenon. Its report also concludes that Internet-based piracy may be reduced, if licensed file-sharing and new forms of (super)-distribution evolve.
In particular, the OECD calls for policies which balance the interests of suppliers and users, in areas such as the protection of intellectual property rights and digital rights management, without disadvantaging innovative e-business models and new technologies. Given that the online distribution of content is a relatively new phenomenon, legal frameworks involving issues such as rights protection technologies and secure (micro)-payment systems may need to be revisited.
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Popkomm Panel Announced To Judge 2nd Annual "Innovation In Music & Entertainment Awards"
Popkomm, one of Europe's largest and well-established music industry trade shows and conventions, today announced the selection of its esteemed jury panel for its 2nd Annual Popkomm Innovations in Music & Entertainment Awards (IMEA), to be held in Berlin on September 14, 2005, on the first day of the annual Popkomm show (September 14-16, 2005).
The exclusive jury panel will include Jim Griffin, Cherry Lane Digital CEO; Rupert Perry, 30-year EMI Music veteran; Tim Renner, former Chairman & CEO of Universal Music Germany and MD of Motor Music; Emmanuel Legrand, Global Editor and London Bureau Chief for Billboard Magazine; Paul Hitchman, Co-Founder & Managing Director of PlayLouder; Ted Cohen, Senior Vice President, Digital Development and Distribution, EMI Music; Ralph Simon, Owner of the Mobilium Group and Chairman of the Mobile Entertainment Forum; Andy Taylor, The Sanctuary Group Executive Chairman; Alison Wenham, Association of Independent Music Chairman & CEO and Kelli Richards, President of the All Access Group.
Gerd Leonhard, Popkomm IMEA Jury Chairman and Executive Producer, comments, "We are delighted to receive so much interest and support from some of the industry's brightest minds and super-nodes. This year's jury will gather some of the most influential people in music / media, entertainment and technology, thereby offering all participating companies a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to mingle and network with a group of people that can make all the difference for the future of their ventures."
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SBC Blue Room Goes Back Stage With Exclusive Behind-The-Scenes
Forget the velvet rope. No talkin' your way onto the VIP list. In fact, leave the guest passes at the door. Backstage access to today's hottest artists isn't invite-only anymore.
Striking a harmonious chord with music enthusiasts, SBC Communications Inc. announced the debut of the SBC Blue Room, the company's Web site featuring exclusive musical content, in-studio interviews, live performances and unedited commentary of chart-topping artists. Visitors to the site, http://blueroom.sbc.com, will be treated to fresh new content each week of the biggest names in rock, alternative rock, country, and hot adult contemporary.
The site gives fans a backstage pass to musical content, such as:
* Audio files and streaming video of acoustic and behind-the-scenes performances
* Interviews from studios and inside musicians' homes
* Never-released footage from music video shoots and concerts
* Sound bites from red carpet events
* Profiles of cutting edge up-and-comers
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Clubplanet.com Presents The Launch Of NocheLatino.com
Clubplanet.com, the world's leading online nightlife destination and a division of Track Entertainment, is set to launch nocheLatino.com the foremost Latino nightlife and lifestyle resource online.
Launching in Miami and New York, nocheLatino provides a destination for the affluent, bicultural trendsetting "New Generation" Latino who enjoys the nightlife arena and is looking for a guide to the latest Latino lifestyle events and happenings. The New Generation Latino is predominantly U.S. born, upwardly mobile, fashion forward and influenced by urban America.
nocheLatino users explore nightlife, music, fashion and entertainment through exclusive features and interviews, get on VIP guestlists for nightclubs in key Latino and Urban markets, and purchase tickets for nightlife and entertainment events. Members also will be able to view event photo galleries, catch up on the latest Latino news and entertainment features and interact with other nocheLatino members via the community message boards. This online magazine is already slated to run interviews with various Latino stars such as Shakira, Aventura, Daddy Yankee, among others.
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Twang Media Proudly Announces The Launch Of Airplay Direct
AirPlay Direct is a revolutionary, web-based digital delivery system that will allow artists and record labels to submit their music directly to radio stations around the world.
Radio stations can now search by artist name, genre, song title or by record label, preview and then download broadcast quality music for airing on their station. Radio can now find and download the albums or singles they never received. All music will be password protected, plus IP addresses will be computer monitored so only radio stations can download the music.
Artists and labels will have a password protected "personal area" (mini web site) where they may upload their music and post promotional photos & information about their new releases.
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Wurld Media Signs Agreement With The Orchard To Provide Vast Catalog Of Music For Sale On Peer Impact
Wurld Media announced that they signed an agreement with The Orchard to provide music for their legal peer-to-peer (P2P) network, Peer Impact. Currently in beta testing, Peer Impact offers members cash back for sharing approved content over the network, and is the only P2P network to sign agreements with the four major music labels. The Orchard is the world's leading distributor and marketer of digital music, and will add well over 230,000 music tracks to Peer Impact's library of digital content.
The Orchard will contribute a diverse selection of music to Peer Impact, including music from 72 countries and virtually every genre of music, from top name rock and pop artists (Ray Charles, Coldplay, Green Day) to blues and jazz greats (Louis Armstrong, John Lee Hooker) to Indian superstars (Ravi Shankar, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan), and much, much more.
"We aim to provide Peer Impact members with the most complete library of digital content available, and our agreement with The Orchard is a significant move towards achieving this objective," said Gregory Kerber, Chairman and CEO of Wurld Media. "The Orchard shares our belief in the viability of the legal digital distribution of music, and we are pleased to announce this partnership."
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Music Industry Stock Watch Research Study Commenced By TAOIR.org
The Music Industry Stock Watch (MISW) Research Study is a step in seeking to define those Public Companies involved in the Music Industry; to track their financial viability by their Stock Price; to observe any trends; to create any hypothesis as to the cause and result of the trends; to foster other Research Studies and to determine the State of the Health of the Music Industry.
Traditional Media has tended to ignore the Industry and concentrate on Album Sales in their dissemination of information to the Public. As a result, the Small Business Performing Rock and Roll Band has traditionally had only limited access to viable Industry Information for the operation of their Small Business Band. Taoir.org will be tracking and Posting the Performance Indicators on their Website (www.taoir.org) and as part of The Small Business Band Journal.
The Weekly Performance Information will be under the Topic Section on the Home Page of the taoir.org website entitled Music Industry Stock Watch Weekly Performance.
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First DVDPlus To Be Released In The U.S.
Eagle Rock Entertainment and Twisted Sister, the legendary multi-platinum metal band, are teaming up to bring the ultimate combination of DVD and CD technology to metal fans everywhere. On June 28, Eagle Rock Entertainment will release Twisted Sister's Live at Wacken The Reunion, on DVDplus. The revolutionary DVDplus format offers music fans a full-length DVD video program and a full-length audio CD on opposite sides of the same disc.
Unlike the DualDisc format, which is marketed as an enhanced audio CD, DVDplus uses the full capacity of the disc to give consumers a double dose of entertainment. The unique mastering techniques of DVDplus can include up to two hours of video on the DVD side, plus a full-length CD program. Packaged in a jewel box, the disc has magenta printing on one side and a clear coat scratch-resistant finish on the other, making it easier to identify its content than the DualDisc. It is also backwards compatible with all CD and DVD players. List price for Live at Wacken The Reunion will be $19.98.
"We've been in the DVD business for a long time, and believe that DVDplus truly offers the consumer the best of both worlds: a full-length DVD video program and a full-length CD audio program," said Mike Carden, Eagle Rock Entertainment Executive Vice President and President of North American Operations. "Given our long relationship with Twisted Sister on our Spitfire label, this is the perfect combination of their talent and our desire to expand into promising new formats."
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BMG Music Service Launches Exclusive Music And Video Promotion With RCA Records And Longwave
BMG Music Service and RCA Records announced a June promotion that will introduce New York City-based rock band Longwave to thousands of music fans. A limited number of club-exclusive EPs will be made available as part of the promotion to 500,000 club members in the modern rock listening preference. This special offer is being made before the June 28th release of Longwave's second album There's A Fire which will become available to club members at street date.
As part of BMG Music Service's Music Discovery program, the first 30,000 members in the Modern Rock listening preference to place an order either online or via the club catalog will receive a free copy of the EP. Not available anywhere else, the EP contains six tracks from the band's soon-to- be-released full length CD plus one bonus track not available on the album. The EP also contains videos from Longwave's 2002 critically acclaimed debut release, The Strangest Things.
"When we first heard the upcoming release from Longwave, we knew this was a band our members would want to know about," said Marc Cusa, Senior Director, Music Merchandising for BMG Direct. "The Music Discovery Program has been a great success with our members, who are excited to learn about new music from us, and we are thrilled to be working with RCA Records to help promote Longwave through this exclusive EP offer."
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Provided by the MusicDish Network. Copyright © Tag It 2005 - Republished with Permission
