A2IM: American Association of Independent Music

Posted in Events, News by A2IM

Intellectual Property Rights Seminar for Exporters

May 6, 2013

8:30 am to 1pm

Register on-line: HERE

The Fashion Institute of Technology Department of International Trade and Marketing, the Department of Commerce’s Office of Intellectual Property Rights, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the U.S. Commercial Service, and the New York District Export Council, cordially invite you to attend the STOPfakes.gov Road Show, an Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Outreach Program. This is an opportunity to learn the basics of intellectual property rights (IPR) protection and about the U.S. government resources available to help small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) protect their IPR at home and abroad. This three-hour program will feature presentations by intellectual property experts and law enforcement officials, followed by an open discussion with experts from industry and government.

Seminar topics will include:

• What is intellectual property?
• Understanding the basics of obtaining Intellectual property rights in the U.S./resources
• Understanding the basics of obtaining intellectual property rights in other countries/resources
• How to enforce your intellectual property rights in the U.S./resources
• How to enforce your intellectual property rights overseas/resources

This program is brought to you under the National Export Initiative and is co-organized by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Intellectual Property Rights, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and the National IPR Coordination Center.

Guest speakers:

• Susan Anthony, Attorney-Advisor

Office of Policy and External Affairs, United States Patent and Trademark Office

• Andrea Cornwell, International Trade Specialist

Office of Intellectual Property Rights, International Trade Administration

After the event, a follow-up with the speakers will be available.

Register on-line: HERE

Date and Time:

May 6, 2013
8:30 am to 1pm

Location:
Fashion Institute of Technology
Department of International Trade and Marketing
227 West 27th Street
New York, NY 10001

Registration Fee: $40 (fee includes continental breakfast and lunch)

For more information contact:

Anastasia Xenias, PhD
Senior International Trade Specialist and Global Team Leader / U.S. Department of Commerce
212-809-2685
anastasia.xenias@trade.gov

or

Carmela Mammas
Director / U.S. Department of Commerce
Carmela.Mammas@trade.gov

Posted in News by A2IM

2013 marked another strong showing for A2IM members at MIDEM, with over 250 U.S. independent music representatives holding court at A2IM’s American Independents Pavilion. A2IM’s presence in its eighth year attending the international conference was bolstered by the U.S. ITA MDCP grant to support independent music exports, which helped eligible independents cover up to 50% of the expenses needed to make the trip.

Highlights from A2IM’s activities this week included two cocktail mixers, one hosted by SoundExchange and one hosted by Counterpoint Systems, and a press conference to discuss the MDCP grant, counting among its guests the U.S. Commerce Department ITA’s Nicole Lamb-Hale, assistant secretary for manufacturing and services at the United States Department of Commerce’s International Trade Adminstration and Andrea DaSilva MDCP’s Project Leader and Senior Media and Entertainment Analyst. Read the International Trade Administration’s Blog Post HERE.

As reported previously Midem was A2IM’s first MDCP funding initiative and our second trip after the Asia Mission.

Take a look at the nearly 200 pictures below.

Thanks To Our Sponsors

Posted in News by A2IM

A2IM Extends U.S. Commerce Dept Funding For Indies To Attend MIDEM 2013

(The below article, written By Richard Smirke appeared in Billboard.biz on December 18, 2012)

The American Association of Independent Music (A2IM) has extended its offer of financial assistance to indie labels attending next year’s MIDEM music conference, taking place in Cannes, France, Jan. 26-29. The offer was originally due to expire this fall, but has been extended to Jan. 7 in light of Hurricane Sandy.

The initiative is the first scheme announced as part of the Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP), which is funded by the U.S. Commerce Department International Trade Administration and is run in conjunction with The Recording Academy to promote independent music outside of the U.S.

Backbeat: Indies Go To China: A2IM’s Trade Mission To Shanghai

Under the terms of the deal, MDCP will fund up to half of eligible expenses (up to $1,500 reimbursement against $3,000 of eligible expenses) towards the cost of attending MIDEM 2013 for selected indie labels who have not attended in the past two years. Interested companies can apply here. The cost of MIDEM 2013 registration for A2IM members is a discounted rate of €495 ($655) per registrant.

The MIDEM funding scheme exists as part of a wider A2IM program to enable the growth and expansion of independent labels internationally. In September, delegates from 16 A2IM label members and The Recording Academy embarked on a trade mission to Asia, funded by the Federal State Trade and Export Promotion (”STEP”) program, in conjunction with the U.S. Small Business Administration, New York State Empire Development and State of Tennessee Economic & Community Development Program.

Since 2005, the U.S.’s share of the world music market has fallen from 34% to 26%, according to A2IM, which calls funding initiatives such as its MIDEM offer “crucial to reclaim America’s competitive stake.”

“The MDCP program allows music labels who would not otherwise be able to afford to attend to have access to the world’s largest music business conference where they will be able to access revenue streams for distribution, mobile and licensing from markets around the globe,” A2IM president Rich Bengloff tells Billboard.biz.

He continues: “Almost all other countries have supported their music creator community’s music export initiatives at many events across the globe via subsidized registrations and travel costs… The U.S. has never offered this support to our music community and, while there will be support at other events over the three-year funding period, this will be the kick-off MDCP event, which is appropriate given the importance of MIDEM as the leading music business conference.”

Nicole Y. Lamb-Hale, Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing and Services, U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, will visit MIDEM alongside the A2IM delegation. Lamb-Hale will be joined in Cannes by Andrea DaSilva from the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Service Industries-International Trade Administration. MDCP funding for indie labels wishing to attend MIDEM will continue until 2015.

Posted in Events, News by A2IM

Due to Hurricane Sandy the deadline to participate in the Copyright Alert Program has been extended.

Market Development Cooperator Program

Midem 2013 January 26 – 29

US Commerce ITA MDCP Funding Opportunity

A2IM announces the first export support opportunity under the MDCP (Market Development Cooperator Program) funding from Commerce ITA . The MDCP program will pay 50% of eligible expenses (up to a $1,500 payment) toward attendance at Midem 2013. The application is HERE. Space is limited so if eligible, see below for eligibility details, please apply ASAP. The deadline to apply for grant participation has been extended. Please send completed applications to Sheryl Cohen via e-mail sheryl@a2im.org OR via fax 212-999-7984

The goal of the program is to support music labels that will be new to export and music labels looking to expand their export businesses. Read A2IM’s Press Release HERE.

MDCP Eligibility Requirements:

• Applicant labels cannot have attended Midem in the past two years, meaning Midem 2011 & 2012 attendees are not eligible.
• Flights to and from Midem must be on a U.S. Carrier under the Fly America Act.
• MORE ABOUT FLY AMERICA HERE
• Hotel  and meal expenses cannot exceed Federal per diem limits.
• Any questions please contact sheryl@a2im.org

We thank our supporters at U.S. Commerce ITA and MDCP for their support of our members export initiatives.

Posted in News by A2IM

Press Release
August 31, 2012

A2IM Secures Federal Funding Grant to Bolster International Trade for Independent Music Labels

(Maureen Smith, Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Manufacturing and Services, Rich Bengloff, American Association of Independent Music (“A2IM”) President Rich Bengloff, Sheryl Cohen, A2IM’s operations Manager, Daryl Friedman, The Recording Academy’s Vice President-Chief Advocacy & Industry Relations Officer)

A2IM has secured the music industry’s first MDCP federal funding grant, which will be used to expand A2IM’s international trade missions and bolster independent music exports.  The funding was awarded by the Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP) in partnership with the Commerce Department International Trade Administration (ITA) and with the support of New York Congressman Jerry Nadler and The Recording Academy as a strategic partner.

A2IM’s first government funded trade mission to Asia kicks off in September and aims to strengthen America’s share of the international music market – according to The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), this share has decreased from 34 percent in 2005 to 26 percent in 2011.  Delegates from 15 A2IM label members including ATO Records, Daptone Records, Ultra Records and VP Records plus a Recording Academy representative will be making stops in Seoul, Shanghai and Hong Kong, to meet with music buyers and learn about each market’s music distribution (physical and digital), mobile licensing, event booking and sync licensing opportunities.  This pilot mission was funded by an earlier State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) grant from the federal Small Business Administration and the states of New York and Tennessee.  The new MDCP funding will expand the program inviting label members from across the U.S. to visit South America, Europe and other parts of Asia including Japan.

Emerging foreign music markets are an underutilized revenue stream for the Independent music community and A2IM’s mission for these programs is to obtain tangible economic gains abroad for its members.  A2IM’s trade missions and the MDCP award underscore initiatives created by the Obama administration which were created to invest in small and medium-sized businesses that create intellectual property, in turn creating jobs and improving the balance of trade by increasing exports abroad.

Read Billboard’s Coverage By Ed Christman HERE.

Read The Commerce Department’s Press Release HERE.

Read Ben Sisario’s Article in The New York Times Sept, 2, 2012) HERE.

Posted in Advocacy by A2IM

The effects of piracy on the music community have been dramatic, especially on the small and medium sized businesses that make up the A2IM community due to our limited economic resources to fight widespread piracy. In response to a request for comment, A2IM filed a statement today with the U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration Office of Intellectual Property Rights on the issues confronting our community and the need for government intervention to provide a worldwide solution to our economic issues. In our filing we commended the Obama Administration and the Congress for the initiatives that have been undertaken on a bi-partisan basis and encourage further action to be undertaken on a worldwide basis.

The A2IM filing with the Department of Commerce can be read here

We seek your feedback and any questions you may have about the A2IM statement.