// theme 1: Intellectual Property
Does anyone actually know what the [bleep]
is going on?
Consumers and digital distribution services are confused and frustrated by the fragmented and non-aligned music rights that they need for legal commerce. Instead of dealing with the nuances between downloads, streams, reproductions, performances, makers, and creators, they are demanding a quick and simple answer for 'how much will the rights cost me and who can I get them from?'.
The free market should be best for resolving these complexities and providing a single licensing source, but the key stakeholders music sector have been unable to find a model that meets everyone’s interests.
One can argue about the appropriateness of rapid legislation such as DCMA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) in the US. but the likelihood is that we will be in for more government intervention unless and until the many music stakeholders provide industry-wide free-market solutions for easy commerce at reasonable prices.
Is copyright still the essential underpinning of music business or has it (will it) become irrelevant? Given the complexities of national and international copyright laws, does the whole system need a major overhaul? More importantly, does anyone actually know what the [bleep] is going on?
Read background dialogue on this topic at transmitNOW’s PoliTalks salon 1.
// theme 2: The Real Deal with Emerging Markets
What are the opportunities and challenges within emerging markets?
Emerging markets, led by the BRIC countries - Brazil, Russia, India, and China - and closely followed by their South American, Eastern European, South Asian, and Pacific Rim neighbors, are target markets for tomorrow's business and profits
The question is how far in the future? Previous transmission events suggest that three years to profit is optimistic and ten years possibly too conservative. It is likely not that simple. This year we open a conversation on who is making how much, where and which paths are quickest and/or most effective in establishing your artists, brands, products and services.
Many analysts believe there will be a tipping point or “black swan” event that will bring explosive revenue growth to these emerging markets. We hope to enter a series of a result bearing discussions about where and when, how and with who.
Read background dialogue on this topic at transmitNOW's PoliTalks salon 3.
// theme 3: Next Generation Leadership
What will define successful leadership in the music business over the next ten years?
Music industry veterans have important historical knowledge of music markets, music acts, managers, copyright, promotion, and marketing. They know the influential people in radio, television, and print media. They know the skeletons in the closet and they know how to influence the influencers. They have been accused of not being in touch with their customers and the way they consume music, particularly their younger customers.
A new class of entrepreneurial young leaders are emerging that are in touch with today’s creative content consumers. Ad this is getting the attention of the more established players among the entertainment and media companies. And if they are listening, is this what may keep them at the top of the game. Others are quickly learning that to ignore this shift may be at one’s own peril. The key is establishing a temper the experience, capital and networks that resides in a more established generation with the youthful creativity, digital literacy and fan knowledge of the younger generations of up-and-comers.
What are the qualities that tomorrow’s leaders, thinkers and creators need and how can they best be connected with the older establishment so that, together, they can steer the creative industries to sustainable profits? Are our industry’s silverbacks ready to embrace the young gorillas who are more quickly adapting to the fundamental changes that are effecting how the next generation is consuming creative content?
Theme Two puts emphasis on this conversation in three roundtable topics respectively focusing on the recorded music sector, the live business and the new and traditional distribution points of music.
Read background dialogue on this topic at transmitNOW's PoliTalks salon 2.
program notes prepared by Paul Hoffert & Tyl van Toorn
Download the programme guide here.
