As previously reported to you there will be divestitures by Warner Music Group as a result of their acquisition of the Universal/EMI Parlophone assets. Here is an update from our U.K. sister organization AIM. Again, our members who have an interest in making an acquisition should come forward and express an interest and contact Charlie Lexton at Merlin, charlie.lexton@merlinnetwork.org,
EMI
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19
Feb
2013
2013
Merlin, the global rights organization that has many A2IM members as their members, and Impala, our sister organization in Europe whose mission includes growing the independent music sector and improving political access announced a landmark agreement with Warner Music Group (WMG) related to Warner Music’s acquisition of the EMI Parlophone assets from Universal Music. The agreement, PRESS RELEASE, which is still subject to the European Commission (EC) approval of the Parlophone acquisition, includes a number of measures designed to strengthen the independent music label community, including potential asset sales and / or licensing and distribution agreements of a substantial portion of assets, certain behavioral commitments designed to set new standards in the market, and setting up capacity-building funding initiatives as selected by IMPALA and Merlin. In total these will further promote the development of the independent music label sector.
While Impala and Merlin will continue to take the lead in all discussions with WMG regarding these initiatives, so the worldwide independent music community speaks with one central voice, A2IM will of course be consulting with them so that our members can best participate in this process. Our members who have an interest in making the acquisitions and want to come forward and express an interest should contact Charlie Lexton at Merlin, charlie.lexton@merlinnetwork.org, but please be advised that there is currently no list to share as to the potential Parlophone divestitures that WMG is contemplating, again if the EC approves the WMG/Parlophone transaction. The MusicWeek News Item From Today (2/19/13) is HERE.
Finally we note that in the United States WMG and their subsidiaries have always been cooperative and supportive of the independent music label movement and we thank them and applaud their ongoing support of our sector of the music marketplace.
Billboard has reported that the FTC has followed the European Union today in approving Universal Music Group’s acquisition of EMI.
The FTC did not add any stipulations to the merger leaving the EU’s stipulation that UMG will need to divest assets amounting to 30% of EMI’s revenues or roughly 10 percent of sales for the new, combined group as the sole requirements for this merger to be completed.
A2IM will not be issuing a new public statement letting our previous statement on this matter, as well as numerous subsequent press quotes (Billboard August 6 and Billboard September 6) speak for us. A2IM remains united in our position with that of our Impala European colleagues (Impala statement HERE).
If you have questions or comments that you’d like to share with us about the merger or what has informed our position please don’t hesitate to contact us.
In response to A2IM’s July 30, 2012 Press Release: A2IM on Universal/EMI News – “Negative Impact on Music Consumers is Clear”, Billboard Magazine printed this follow-up news item: Pressure Mounts For Universal Music To Make U.S. Concessions on EMI Deal by Ed Christman.
Posted in Press Releases by A2IM
A2IM
For Immediate Release
July 30, 2012
American Association of Independent Music (”A2IM”) President Rich Bengloff’s statement on Universal’s proposed European Commission concession package related to its proposed acquisition of EMI:
A2IM members read with interest Friday’s news reports about the submission of Universal’s proposed concession package, in regards to the proposed acquisition of EMI’s recorded music business, that was sent to the European Commission. If the news reports are correct, almost all of the proposed divestitures and behavioral remedies are focused entirely overseas – creating a major problem for U.S. consumers, artists, labels and the technology companies they work with.
As we have noted in prior statements, “the increased concentration of copyright ownership, historically, has always hurt the Independent label community in terms of achieving economic parity and market access.” With no divestitures or operating remedies proposed for the U.S. – the world’s largest music market and home to the vast majority of the technology companies who work with the music community – the negative impact on music consumers and emerging technology companies is clear. Such market concentration will diminish healthy competition, providing one dominant market leader damaging clout in terms of both consumer pricing and the means with which music is made available. The effect on both promotional access and monetization for independent music labels and artists is equally clear. Approval of such an acquisition with no U.S. remedies will further constrain our resources (with higher potential distribution fees and less money available to create diverse music for consumers both very probable). We continue to join our European Impala Independent music label colleagues in their concern over this acquisition and reiterate A2IM’s opposition to this transaction and, given Universal’s penchance to monopolize the marketplace, we call on the FTC to take the required steps to insure that this transaction is blocked so that it does not move forward.
There was a great deal of press pick-up on our Press Release which will hopefully have an effect on the FTC deliberations. Please see links to three of the press items below.
About A2IM:
A2IM is a not-for-profit trade organization serving the Independent music community as a unified voice representing a sector that comprises over 30% of the music industry’s market share in the United States (and almost 40% of SoundScan digital sales). The organization represents the Independents’ interests in the marketplace, in the media, on Capitol Hill, and as part of the global music community. A2IM is headquartered in New York City.
The organization’s board of directors is composed of the following: Daptone Records General Manager Cathy Bauer; Sub Pop VP of Business Affairs Eric Brown; Epitaph General Manager Dave Hansen; Yep Roc Records Co-Owner Tor Hansen; Alligator Records Founder/CEO Bruce Iglauer; The Beggars Group Founder/CEO Martin Mills; Glassnote Records General Manager Chris Scully; Naxos of America CEO Jim Selby; Tommy Boy CEO/Founder Tom Silverman; Jagjaguwar/Dead Oceans/Secretly Canadian Founder/Co-Owner Darius Van Arman; Razor & Tie COO Victor Zaraya.
For more information, or to become a member, please visit www.A2IM.org.
For press information on A2IM, please contact Elizabeth Lutz [elutz@shorefire.com], David McTiernan [dmctiernan@shorefire.com], or Rebecca Shapiro [rshapiro@shorefire.com] at Shore Fire Media, 718.522.7171.
Posted in Press Releases by A2IM
A2IM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 26, 2012
A2IM Salutes Martin Mills
A2IM released the following statement today: “Our colleague and board member Martin Mills, Founder and Chairman of the Beggars Group, provided testimony last week at the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee’s antitrust subcommittee hearing on the acquisition of EMI’s recorded music business by Universal Music Group. In his testimony, he noted that the proposed acquisition would have a detrimental effect on the independent recording industry and recording artist community and that it would contribute to an uneven playing field for the recording industry as a whole. Not only does A2IM applaud Mills for courageously taking a stand on behalf of the entire independent music community, A2IM also supports his assessment and recommends in the strongest terms that the proposed Universal/EMI merger be denied. We also reaffirm our support of our European Impala independent music label colleagues in their efforts to block the proposed Universal/EMI transaction in Europe.”
