A2IM: American Association of Independent Music

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A2IM associate member Digital Media Wire is offering a $100 registration discount off of the currently available rate to all A2IM members for Digital Music Forum East(February 25-26, 2009 in NYC).

To take advantage of this special discount simply register at www.digitalmusicforum.com/east and use the

EARLY REGISTRATION is now open for Digital Music Forum East 2009 (early registration is $599 has been extended to December 12th for A2IM Members – $500 OFF Regular Price).   A2IM members can register for $499 during early registration and will continue to be eligible for a $100 additional discount from subsequent rates after early registration expires.

Digital Music Forum East brings the Industry Together So You Can Meet the Partners and Clients You Need to Grow Your Business!

Now in its 8th year, Digital Music Forum is the leading event focused on the intersection of technology and music. Join an elite group of over 500 music industry insiders for two days of high level discussions, news-breaking announcements and unrivaled networking in the Big Apple. Participants include top major and Indie label execs, artists and artist reps, association heads, attorneys, investors and consumer electronics and technology leaders from social networks, payments companies, online retailers, virtual worlds, marketing, advertising, mobile companies, technology start-ups and many more. This is a “must attend” event for anyone interested in the future of the music business. Great Networking! Innovative Exhibitors! Unrivaled Access! CLICK HERE for agenda, speaker submission form, sponsorship info and other details.

!!REGISTER NOW at Early Special Rate!! www.digitalmusicforum.com/east

2009 Topics include:
The State of the Digital Union
Youth Trends in Music
End of the iPod Era: What’s Next in Mobile?
Are 360 Deals Good or Bad for Artists?
Digital Copyright Debate
Games & Music
Music Blogs: The Ultimate Digital Tastemakers Licensing 2.0 The New DRM: How to Protect Rights without Alienating Consumers?
Online Video and Music
Indies in the Digital World

Do you have an idea you want to pitch to us?
Contact Ellen Gildersleeve at ellen@digitalmediawire.com

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Speaking on behalf of A2IM, the independent community’s premiere advocacy organization, Vice President Jim Mahoney applauded the move by Apple’s iTunes Store to create an Indie Spotlight landing page with increased visibility section. Mahoney said: "A2IM applauds the iTunes Music Store team for remaining engaged and communicative with A2IM and our independent label members tapping our collective expertise as they enhance the indie experience for their customers. With independent music making major strides in the digital market place, on the charts, and winning over 50% of this year’s Grammy Awards it’s great to see iTunes recognizing the opportunities that independent music offers. We are very excited with the additional exposure being provided the independent community at the iTunes Music Store."

This sentiment was echoed by independent leaders and A2IM member label heads Amaechi Uzoigwe (co-founder/Definitive Jux and A2IM board of directors chair) and Thomas Silverman (founder and CEO/Tommy Boy Records Entertainment and founding A2IM board member).

"We’re truly excited and encouraged by iTunes’ announcement and its continued efforts to shine a light on the incredibly vital and vibrant world of independent music. Coming off a Grammy season where indies won over 50% of the awards, it underscores the importance of this music to fans from all strata of the marketplace, and this increased level of exposure will lead to continued discovery of the music we all so passionately believe in," says Definitive Jux’ Uzoigwe.

Silverman added, "Aye Aye iTunes! They’ve taken it to the next level with a big up for the independent music community. The lifeblood of the music business will now be easier to find. Everyone will now be able to unearth the buried treasure of the world’s best independent music. Look for an even bigger independent market share with this smart move."

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A2IM invites all A2IM members to a Tech Day Event and an evening cocktail party on the day prior to Digital Music Forum: East (NYC, Tuesday, February 24th starting at 5pm).

Hosted by the A2IM New Media Committee, this Tech Day will feature presentations and question & answer sessions from Consolidated Independent, Echospin, imeem, and Overlay.TV.  Come learn more about how these A2IM associate members can benefit the businesses of our members.

Following Tech Day, A2IM will host a Cocktail Party starting at 7pm open to all members.  Last October’s pre-CMJ Tech Day and Cocktail Party was a great success with over 70 attendees at Tech Day and over 130 attendees at the Cocktail Party.

Anyone interested in sponsoring this event please contact Jim Mahoney

Tech Day Presenters with Company Profile:

CI is the world’s premier provider of digital supply chain services for independent record labels and distributors. Founded in 2003, we have grown to become a trusted partner for 500+ labels by providing world-class encoding, warehousing, and delivery services for an ever-expanding asset portfolio currently exceeding 500,000 tracks and 2,000 videos. We manage global deliveries to more than 300 Online & Mobile distribution points via our unsurpassed technology platform. CI delivers the most powerful and exceptionally cost-effective means available for managing your digital business.

Echospin is a technology company whose unique, magical solutions enable content providers to sell and promote digital, mobile and physical goods directly to fans, effortlessly.

imeem is the leading social music service where millions of people discover, upload and share music, video, photos and playlists and form connections with other people based on shared tastes and interests. imeem is the first social network to partner with all four major music labels as well as thousands of independent labels and video providers to offer free, on-demand streaming of all music and video content on an ad-supported basis. imeem reaches more than 100 million people each month through imeem.com and an extensive network of music and video playlists embedded across the web.

Overlay.TV is an interactive media company that provides an online video platform. This platform enables users, content owners, and e-commerce sites to monetize and customize their video assets by overlaying contextual information directly onto video and linking to external websites.

Details for Tech Day Event/Cocktail Party – RSVP Required
Where:  The Monkey NYC (37 W. 26th Street, 12th Floor/Room 1204 – between 6th ave. and Broadway, NYC; http://www.monkeywest.com/index.html)
When:  Tuesday, February 24th, Tech Day Event: 5pm-7pm, Cocktail Party: 7:00pm-8:30pm (Doors at 4:30pm)

Please RSVP to Al Verik (al.verik@a2im.org) if you will be showing up for both events or just one.  Seating will be limited.

Hope to see you there!

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A2IM is pleased to announce a Town Hall meeting and lunch with Congressman Jim Cooper, sponsored by the musicFIRST Coalition.

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When: Friday,  February 20
            Networking, 11:30 AM – 12 noon
            Lunch & Meeting, 12 noon – 1:30 PM
Event: Town Hall Meeting with
            Congressman Jim Cooper
Where: Loews Vanderbilt Plaza
            2100 West End Avenue
            Nashville, TN 37203
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To Enhance Global IP Protection

As Part of Special 301 Process

WASHINGTON – Representing diverse sectors of the music community, the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), the American Federation of Musicians (AFM), the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), the National Music Publishers Association (NMPA), and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) today issued a joint statement in response to an annual report by the International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA) under a section of trade law known as “Special 301.” Under Special 301, USTR is required to identify countries that fail to provide adequate and effective protection for U.S. intellectual property and to take appropriate actions, including the possible imposition of trade sanctions and the loss of certain trading privileges. 

This year’s report, available on the IIPA website at www.iipa.com, outlines problems in a wide variety of countries but particularly stresses continuing problems in Russia and China, and emerging issues related to digital distribution in global markets.

Said the music community:

“In these troubled economic times, it is more important than ever that the U.S. government take meaningful steps to ensure that the most competitive parts of the U.S. economy—those that contribute to positive balance of trade payments—can effectively compete in global markets without facing unfair competition. The copyright industries generally, and the music community in particular, are among America’s most competitive sectors, and our contribution to the public welfare goes well beyond our economic contributions. We convey aspects of America that entertain, that reflect our diversity, and that showcase our country’s creativity. As Friedrich Nietzsche famously said: ‘Without music, life would be a mistake.’

“Unfortunately, the piracy of America’s creative genius by certain elements in other countries—particularly Internet-driven infringements—is drawing us towards life without music. Or perhaps more accurately, life without the capacity to sustain the livelihoods of those Americans who earn a living through the creation of music. For far too long, too many illegal enterprises—and businesses—have generated ill-acquired gains from the theft of America’s creative assets.  It is time to end this sad chapter of illegality and irresponsibility. We, various voices of the music community, call upon global leaders to develop and implement policies and practices that reflect an appreciation of the value of creativity. Tolerance of organized criminal syndicates in multi-territorial enterprises engaged in the distribution of pirate product must end. Even more importantly, global leaders must ensure that their legal regimes do not permit or encourage willful blindness on the part of companies that provide access to infringing materials. ISPs in particular must be encouraged to play their part in preventing the use of their networks for the distribution of infringing materials. If legitimate companies are permitted to operate services that effect one of the greatest misappropriations ever witnessed, then there is little hope for creators to earn a living from their creations, or for America’s creative sector to continue to drive this country’s economic performance.

“Aaron Copland once remarked that: ‘To stop the flow of music would be like the stopping of time itself, incredible and inconceivable.’ From where we sit, it appears all too conceivable, and we call upon the U.S. government to do everything in its power to address the barriers that we confront in markets around the world that are drawing us to this ‘incredible’ outcome. Today’s submission to the USTR by a group of copyright organizations under the umbrella group of the International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA) provides a comprehensive examination of many of the most urgent issues confronting the creative sector. Resolving these problems would be a good place to start in rebuilding the foundations for a thriving creative community, both here and around the globe.”

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There’s been a lot of talk about the last election having been about “change.” If you’re involved in music, you’re probably already familiar with that word. New technologies continue to redefine how music is created, distributed and accessed. But how will changes in the policymaking landscape affect artists and listeners?

On February 11, 2009, Future of Music Coalition’s DC Policy Day will bring a laser-beam focus to core issues emerging in the courts, in Congress, at the FCC and the Copyright Office.

With its impressive array of thought-leaders and experts, Policy Day 09 will examine how media and broadband policy affect music discovery and acquisition, and how changes in copyright law could impact the music community – from creators and entrepreneurs to advocates and fans.

Topics of conversation include broadband and Internet policy, copyright and compensation, radio issues and new business models. These discussions will help establish an agenda for music, technology and law at the start of a new federal administration.

Representatives from FMC, the Copyright Office, the FCC, Pandora, the RIAA, SoundExchange, the Songwriters Guild of America, A2IM and more will be on hand to discuss the issues. Please join us!

Event Site: http://www.futureofmusic.org/events/dcpolicyday09/

DC Policy Day Wednesday, February 11, 2009 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM with cocktail party to follow from 6:00 – 8:00 PM

**Special Registration Rate for A2IM members** Use the promo code