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Polaris Music Prize and Music Canada partner to improve equity and access for the Canadian music community

Posted September 12, 2018 by Corey Poole

September 12, 2018, Toronto: Polaris Music Prize and Music Canada have partnered on a new initiative called the Polaris Community Development Program. Launching in advance of the 2018 Polaris Music Prize Gala, the program will partner with 10 Canadian not-for-profit music organizations each year to support and develop the music community by eliminating barriers to access for engaged music creators, entrepreneurs and change makers.

In 2018, each participating organization will receive tickets to the Polaris Music Prize Gala to distribute to individuals who directly impact or participate in the organization’s music programming, courtesy of Music Canada. The program also includes additional opportunities for participants to connect with Polaris staff, Board members and other community members on the night of the Gala.

“Our objective is to provide aspiring music professionals, who normally lack the means or access to music events, an opportunity to participate in the industry and community that Polaris attracts,” says Steve Jordan, Founder and Executive Director of the Polaris Music Prize. “Our hope is that by lifting these barriers we can in a small way help develop diversity in the next generation of music supporters and protectors.”

“Music Canada is committed to challenging the status quo and advancing practical solutions to improve equity and representation in the Canadian music industry,” says Amy Terrill, Executive Vice President of Music Canada and Polaris Board Chair. “Polaris Music Prize, an organization focused on artistic excellence with a history of celebrating diverse sounds and viewpoints, is the perfect host for this program.”

Participating organizations in the 2018 Community Development Program can be found at polarismusicprize.ca/sponsors.

The 2018 Polaris Music Prize Gala takes place on Monday, September 17^th at The Carlu in Toronto. Canadian non-profits interested in participating in the 2019 Community Development Program are encouraged to contact Claire Dagenais at claire.dagenais@polarismusicprize.ca.

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For more information:
Amanda McCauley – Indoor Recess
amanda@indoorrecess.com
(905) 926-6440

Corey Poole, Music Canada
cpoole@musiccanada.com
+1 (647) 808-7359

About Polaris Music Prize
Polaris Music Prize Inc. is a not-for-profit organization that annually honours and rewards artists who produce Canadian music albums of distinction. A select panel of music critics then judge and award the Prize without regard to musical genre or commercial popularity. For more on the Polaris Music Prize, please visit www.polarismusicprize.ca

About the 2018 Polaris Music Prize Gala
The Polaris Music Prize Gala is produced by CBC Music. This year’s gala is set to take place on Monday, September 17th, 2018 at The Carlu, 444 Yonge Street, 7th Floor. The gala will be webcast live worldwide on CBC Music’s Facebook and YouTube. This year’s host is CBC’s Raina Douris.

About Music Canada
Music Canada is a non-profit trade organization that represents the major record companies in Canada: Sony Music Entertainment Canada, Universal Music Canada and Warner Music Canada. Music Canada also works with some of the leading independent record labels and distributors, recording studios, live music venues, concert promoters, managers and artists in the promotion and development of the music cluster. For more on Music Canada, please visit www.musiccanada.com

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Le Prix de musique Polaris et Music Canada se donnent la main pour améliorer l’équité et faciliter l’accès à la communauté musicale au Canada

Toronto, le 12 septembre 2018 : Le Prix de musique Polaris et Music Canada collaborent à une nouvelle initiative conjointe nommée Programme de développement communautaire Polaris. Lancé avant le gala du Prix de musique Polaris, ce programme s’associera chaque année avec 10 organisations musicales à but non lucratif afin de contribuer au développement de la communauté musicale en éliminant les obstacles qui empêchent les créateurs de musique engagés, les entrepreneurs et les catalyseurs de changement de s’y joindre.

En 2018, Music Canada offrira aux organisations participantes des billets pour le gala du Prix de musique Polaris qu’elles pourront distribuer gratuitement à des personnes qui ont un impact direct sur la programmation du Prix de musique Polaris ou y participent. Le programme fournira également aux participants d’autres occasions d’interagir avec le personnel du Prix de musique Polaris, avec ses administrateurs et avec d’autres membres de la communauté musicale le soir du gala.

« Notre objectif est d’offrir aux jeunes professionnels de la musique qui n’ont pas les moyens ou la possibilité d’assister aux événements musicaux une occasion de se mêler aux représentants de l’industrie et de la communauté musicale que le Prix Polaris attire », a affirmé Steve Jordan, fondateur et directeur exécutif du Prix de musique Polaris. « Notre espoir est que, en éliminant les obstacles, nous puissions contribuer un tant soit peu au développement de la diversité au sein de la prochaine génération des partisans et des protecteurs de la musique. »

« Music Canada est engagée à changer les choses et à avancer des solutions pratiques afin d’améliorer l’équité et la représentation au sein de l’industrie de la musique au Canada », a affirmé Amy Terrill, vice-présidente directrice de Music Canada et présidente du conseil d’administration du Prix de musique Polaris. « Le Prix de musique Polaris, une organisation axée sur l’excellence et habituée à célébrer la diversité des sons et des points de vue, est l’endroit idéal pour ce programme. »

On trouvera la liste des organisations qui participent au Programme de développement communautaire 2018 au polarismusicprize.ca/sponsors.

Le gala du Prix de musique Polaris 2018 aura lieu le 17 septembre au Carlu, à Toronto. Les organismes à but non lucratif canadiens intéressés à participer au Programme de développement communautaire 2019 sont encouragés à contacter Claire Dagenais au claire.dagenais@polarismusicprize.ca.

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Pour de plus amples renseignements :
Amanda McCauley – Indoor Recess
amanda@indoorrecess.com
(905) 926-6440

Corey Poole, Music Canada
cpoole@musiccanada.com
+1 (647) 808-7359

À propos du Prix de musique Polaris
Le Prix de musique Polaris est une organisation à but non lucratif qui honore et récompense annuellement les artistes ayant créé des albums de musique canadiens de renom. Un groupe sélectionné de critiques musicaux juge et décerne le Prix sans considération pour le genre musical ou la popularité commerciale. Pour en savoir plus sur le Prix de musique Polaris, veuillez vous rendre sur www.polarismusicprize.ca

À propos du gala du Prix de musique Polaris 2018
Le gala du Prix de musique Polaris est une réalisation de CBC Music. L’édition 2018 sera présentée le 17 septembre au Carlu, 444, rue Yonge, 7^e étage, à Toronto. Le gala sera diffusé en direct à travers le monde via la page Facebook de CBC Music ainsi que sur YouTube. Il sera animé par Raina Douris, de CBC.

À propos de Music Canada
Music Canada est une association professionnelle à but non lucratif qui représente les grandes maisons de disques au Canada, notamment Sony Music Entertainment Canada, Universal Music Canada et Warner Music Canada. Music Canada collabore également avec de nombreux chefs de file de l’industrie musicale indépendante – étiquettes et distributeurs de disques, studios d’enregistrement, lieux de spectacles, promoteurs de concerts, gérants et artistes – pour assurer la promotion et le développement du secteur de la musique.

Categories: Industry News, News Release
Tags: Community Development Program, Polaris 2018, Polaris Gala, Polaris Music Prize

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Music Canada welcomes Pablo Rodriguez as Minister of Heritage; thanks Mélanie Joly for leadership on policies affecting the music sector

Posted July 18, 2018 by Quentin Burgess

Toronto, July 18, 2018: Music Canada welcomes incoming Minister of Canadian Heritage, the Hon. Pablo Rodriguez and thanks the Hon. Mélanie Joly for her efforts in this role following her appointment as Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the changes to his federal cabinet earlier today.

As Minister of Canadian Heritage, Rodriguez will be responsible for implementing the government’s plan to strengthen Canada’s cultural and creative industries, and will be tasked with managing the legislative, regulatory, and Cabinet processes to deliver on the government’s priorities.

“On behalf of Music Canada, I would like to congratulate the Hon. Pablo Rodriguez on his appointment as Minister of Canadian Heritage,” says Graham Henderson, President and CEO of Music Canada. “In this role, he has the opportunity to improve the livelihood of Canadian creators, by creating the conditions for a functioning marketplace where creators receive fair compensation for the use of their work. We look forward to working with Minister Rodriguez to continue to advance policies that support creators and the companies that invest in them.”

Music Canada also extends congratulations to the Hon. Mélanie Joly on her appointment as the Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie, and expresses appreciation for her leadership on key policies affecting Canada’s music sector, including the initiation of a process to reform the Copyright Board of Canada, the launch of the statutory review of the Copyright Act, and the #DigiCanCon consultations.

“During her tenure as Minister of Canadian Heritage, Mélanie Joly advanced key priorities to strengthen Canada’s creative industries and improve the livelihood of Canadian creators,” says Henderson. “Her efforts to improve the regulatory frameworks that affect creators, such as the Copyright Board and the Copyright Act, has begun a process to put creators at the heart of cultural policy. Thank you, Minister Joly, and best wishes in your new role.”

In the music sector, Music Canada has been the lead advocate for practical and forward-looking improvements to Canada’s marketplace, institutions, and legal framework. The most pressing issue for the music sector in Canada, and around the world, is the Value Gap. Defined as “the significant disparity between the value of creative content that is accessed and enjoyed by consumers, and the revenues that are returned to the people and businesses who create it,” the Value Gap threatens the future of Canadian culture by harming creators’ ability to make a living from their work.

Music Canada’s comprehensive report, The Value Gap: Its Origins, Impacts and a Made-in-Canada Approach, provides insights into how policymakers can reverse the Value Gap. The report recommends four steps that could be quickly implemented, and would help creators and harmonize Canadian policy with international standards:

Remove the $1.25 Million Radio Royalty Exemption
Amend the Definition of ‘Sound Recording’ in the Copyright Act
Address the Effects of Safe Harbour Laws and Exceptions in Canada
Private Copying: Renew Support for Music Creators

Each of these recommended changes removes an unfair subsidy, harmonizes the laws within our industries, and brings us to international standards. The report was presented to the Industry, Science and Technology committee as part of the Statutory Review of the Copyright Act, as well as the Canadian Heritage Committee in their study of Remuneration Models for Artists and Creative Industries, where it has been cited by members of the committee as well as several other industry groups appearing as witnesses before the committee.

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For more information:
Quentin Burgess, Music Canada
qburgess@musiccanada.com
+1 (647) 981-8410

Categories: News Release
Tags: Justin Trudeau, Mélanie Joly, Pablo Rodriguez, Value Gap

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Music Canada souhaite la bienvenue au nouveau ministre du Patrimoine canadien Pablo Rodriguez et remercie Mélanie Joly de son leadership en matière de politiques affectant le secteur de la musique

Posted July 18, 2018 by Quentin Burgess

Toronto, le 18 juillet 2018 : Music Canada souhaite la bienvenue au nouveau ministre du Patrimoine canadien, l’honorable Pablo Rodriguez, et remercie l’honorable Mélanie Joly de ses réalisations comme ancienne titulaire de ce poste alors qu’elle est désormais chargée du ministère du Tourisme, des Langues officielles et de la Francophonie. Ces changements ont été annoncés plus tôt aujourd’hui par le Premier ministre Justin Trudeau.

Comme ministre du Patrimoine canadien, M. Rodriguez aura la responsabilité de la mise en œuvre du plan conçu par le gouvernement pour consolider les industries culturelles et créatives du Canada en plus de la gestion des processus législatifs, réglementaires et ministériels permettant de répondre aux priorités du gouvernement.

« Au nom de Music Canada, je tiens à féliciter l’honorable Pablo Rodriguez de sa nomination au poste de ministre du Patrimoine canadien », a déclaré Graham Henderson, président et chef de la direction de Music Canada. « Le nouveau ministre aura la possibilité d’améliorer les moyens de subsistance des créateurs canadiens en créant les conditions nécessaires à l’existence d’un marché fonctionnel où les créateurs toucheront une rémunération équitable pour l’utilisation de leurs œuvres. Nous sommes impatients de collaborer avec le ministre Rodriguez à l’avancement de politiques qui soutiennent les créateurs et les entreprises qui investissent dans leurs carrières. »

Music Canada tient également à féliciter l’honorable Mélanie Joly de sa nomination comme ministre du Tourisme, des Langues officielles et de la Francophonie et à la remercier de son leadership concernant certaines politiques clés affectant le secteur de la musique au Canada, notamment la mise en place d’un processus de réforme de la Commission du droit d’auteur du Canada, le lancement de l’Examen prévu par la loi de la Loi sur le droit d’auteur et celui des consultations #verslenumérique.

« Durant son mandat comme ministre du Patrimoine canadien, Mélanie Joly a fait avancer des priorités clés visant à consolider les industries créatives du Canada et à améliorer les moyens d’existence des créateurs canadiens », a déclaré M. Henderson. « Les efforts qu’elle a déployés pour faire améliorer les cadres réglementaires affectant les créateurs, qu’il s’agisse de la Commission du droit d’auteur ou de la Loi sur le droit d’auteur, ont mis en branle un processus visant à mettre les créateurs au cœur de la politique culturelle. Merci, Madame la ministre Joly, et bonne chance dans vos nouvelles fonctions. »

Dans le secteur musical, Music Canada est le chef de file de la défense d’améliorations pratiques axées sur l’avenir à apporter au marché, aux institutions et au cadre juridique du Canada. Le problème le plus urgent, pour le secteur musical canadien comme pour celui du reste du monde, est celui de l’écart de valeur. Défini comme étant « la disparité significative qui existe entre la valeur du contenu créatif que les consommateurs consultent et apprécient et celle des revenus qui sont transmis aux individus et aux entreprises qui l’ont inventé », l’écart de valeur menace l’avenir de la culture canadienne en réduisant la capacité des créateurs de vivre de leurs œuvres.

Intitulé L’Écart de valeur : ses origines, ses impacts et une démarche faite au Canada, le rapport exhaustif préparé par Music Canada décrit les solutions auxquelles peuvent recourir les décideurs politiques canadiens pour remédier à l’écart de valeur. Le rapport recommande quatre étapes qui pourraient être rapidement mises en œuvre pour aider à harmoniser la politique canadienne avec les normes internationales :

Éliminer l’exemption de redevances de 1,25 million $ de la radio commerciale
Modifier la définition d’« enregistrement sonore » dans la Loi sur le droit d’auteur
Régler la question des effets des lois sur les exemptions de responsabilité et les exceptions au Canada
Copie privée : rétablir le soutien aux créateurs de musique

Chaque modification recommandée vise à faire disparaître une subvention injuste, à harmoniser les lois gouvernant nos industries et à nous permettre de nous conformer aux normes internationales. Le rapport a été présenté devant le Comité de l’industrie, des sciences et de la technologie dans le cadre de l’Examen prévu par la loi de la Loi sur le droit d’auteur ainsi que devant le Comité permanent du patrimoine canadien dans le cadre de son étude de Modèles de rémunération pour les artistes et les créateurs, où Music Canada a été cité par les membres du comité ainsi que par plusieurs regroupements de l’industrie invités à témoigner.

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Pour de plus amples renseignements :
Quentin Burgess, Music Canada
qburgess@musiccanada.com
+1 (647) 981-8410

Au sujet de Music Canada

Music Canada est une association professionnelle à but non lucratif qui représente les grandes maisons de disques au Canada, notamment Sony Music Entertainment Canada, Universal Music Canada et Warner Music Canada. Music Canada collabore également à la promotion et au développement du secteur musical en collaboration avec de nombreux chefs de file de l’industrie musicale indépendante – étiquettes et distributeurs de disques, studios d’enregistrement, salles de spectacles, diffuseurs de concerts, gérants et artistes. Pour en savoir plus sur Music Canada, veuillez vous rendre sur www.musiccanada.com

Categories: News Release
Tags: Justin Trudeau, Mélanie Joly, Pablo Rodriguez

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Canadian Creative Industries Launch ReadTheCode.ca

Posted June 10, 2018 by Quentin Burgess

Toronto, ON (June 10, 2018) — The Canadian Creative industries responsible for creating an industry-wide Code of Conduct have now launched a complimentary website – readthecode.ca – as a resource for industry members.

“On behalf of all the industry organizations that have contributed to this process and the launch of our Code, I am happy to announce this new resource as a next step in our industry’s goal to combat harassment, discrimination, bullying and violence within Canada’s creative sector,” said David Sparrow, ACTRA National president.

“I am also pleased to welcome 36 live and recorded music organizations that will soon become signatory to the Code of Conduct to ensure a healthy culture with zero tolerance to all forms of harassment within Canada’s music community.”

In addition to the Code, the website houses a list of Code signatories and their contact information, additional resources including downloadable, printable versions of the Code (in both English and French), and updates from two working groups on their progress. The Education, Training and Awareness Committee is producing multi-level, industry-wide education and training programs, and the Reporting Committee is creating safer and more effective reporting mechanisms. Updates from these two working groups will be made to this website as they become available.

The Code and this subsequent website are all a result of the round-table discussion that took place in November 2017 when a coalition of industry stakeholders gathered together to collaborate on an industry-wide response to harassment, discrimination, bullying, and violence of all kinds. The Canadian Creative Industries Code of Conduct was officially launched on March 8, 2018, and to date, over 60 organizations from within Canada’s creative community have now become signatory.

The website can be accessed through both readthecode.ca and canadiancreativeindustries.ca.

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Media Contact: Carol Taverner, ACTRA Public Relations Officer, tel: 416.644.1519, ctaverner@actra.ca

Categories: News Release
Tags: ReadTheCode.ca

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British Columbia music community celebrates new music fund, AMPLIFY BC

Posted March 22, 2018 by Corey Poole

Vancouver, March 22, 2018: Music BC and Music Canada today applaud the Government of British Columbia’s announcement of a new music fund for the province called AMPLIFY BC. Administered through Creative BC, the new Fund will provide much-needed support for the development of BC artists and musicians, music companies, skills development and live music production, stimulating economic growth and activity in the sector.

“Music Canada would like to applaud the Government of BC and Minister Beare for this important investment which demonstrates their confidence in the music sector,” says Amy Terrill, Executive Vice President of Music Canada. “The intense interest in the former BC Music Fund’s suite of programs underscores that BC is home to a vibrant, diverse and engaged music community ready to take their songs and businesses to the next level. With this new investment BC will continue to benefit from leveraged private and other government dollars, and ensure the BC music sector remains competitive with other jurisdictions.”

The announcement was made during JUNOs Week, as the Canadian music industry was congregated in Vancouver for the 47^th annual JUNO Awards, celebrating excellence in Canadian music while also showcasing Vancouver, and the province’s music sector to the rest of the country.

“This is a great day for the province’s music scene allowing us to build on the momentum of the last two years,” says Alex Grigg, Executive Director of Music BC. “In this time, our industry has focused on helping BC artists develop their careers and showcase their talent around the world, boost business in BC studios, create greater opportunities for live music performances that bolster activity in our communities, and facilitate professional development so that we can build a stronger, more sustainable industry. On behalf of the staff, board of directors and the BC music industry we extend our gratitude to the Government of BC and Minister Beare for their continued support and investment into the BC Music sector.”

Music BC and Music Canada would also like to thank all members of the BC music community who participated in the effort to secure provincial funding and shared their insights, experiences and success stories. The one-year investment of $7.5 million will contribute to BC’s strong and vibrant communities and also benefit BC tourism, arts and creative industries, and small business development.

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For more information:

Corey Poole, Music Canada
cpoole@musiccanada.com
(647) 808-7359

Neesha Hothi, Music BC
nh@neeshcommunications.ca
(604) 715-6057

About Music BC
Music BC Industry Association is a not for profit association serving the for profit and non-profit music industry, including artists from all genres, industry professionals, service providers, studios, promoters, venues, festivals, producers, agents, managers and educational institutions. For more on Music BC, please visit www.musicbc.org

Categories: Industry News, Music Cities, Music Tourism, News Release, Uncategorized
Tags: AMPLIFY BC, BC Music, British Columbia, JUNOs, JUNOS 2018, Music BC, Vancouver

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Music Canada applauds 2018 Federal Budget

Posted February 28, 2018 by Quentin Burgess

Music Canada is pleased to see that the 2018 federal budget, which was tabled yesterday in the House of Commons by Minister of Finance Bill Morneau, further illustrates the Government’s commitment to reforming the Copyright Board of Canada.

Budget 2018 advances the Government’s Intellectual Property Strategy, as well as outlines measures to modernize Canada’s regulatory frameworks. Recognizing the need to promote efficient and predictable regulation within these frameworks, the Budget proposes support for the Government to “pursue a regulatory reform agenda focused on supporting innovation and business investment.” The Budget also correctly states that for “Canadian companies to grow and thrive in the global marketplace, they also need a competitive and predictable business environment that supports investment.”

In the music sector, this is particularly true at the Copyright Board. The rates set by the Board directly impact the value of music, and the ability for creators and labels to commercialize their work and investment. Music Canada has been a lead advocate for reforming the Copyright Board. We participated in both the Senate hearings on the Copyright Board, and the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage’s Review of the Canadian Music Industry, appearing as a key stakeholder in favour of full and meaningful reforms. Music Canada’s Graham Henderson also raised the issue in a recent Policy Options op-ed, and cited the need for reform of the Copyright Board as a first priority for government to modernize in a speech before the Economic Club of Canada.

“Reforming the Copyright Board of Canada has for years been a top priority for creators and the businesses that support them,” says Music Canada President & CEO Graham Henderson. “Music Canada extends our appreciation to the Government, particularly Ministers Bains and Joly, for taking the next step in modernizing this institution, which is vital for Canada’s cultural industries.”

Budget 2018 is great news for a more timely, efficient, and predictable Copyright Board. We look forward to working with Ministers Navdeep Bains and Mélanie Joly to make this a reality.

Categories: News Release
Tags: Bill Morneau, Copyright Board of Canada, federal budget, Graham Henderson, Mélanie Joly, Navdeep Bains

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Music Canada now curates Gold/Platinum playlists on Apple Music

Posted February 27, 2018 by Bram Gonshor

Toronto, Feb. 27, 2018: Music Canada today announced it is curating music through its new profile on Apple Music. The popular Gold/Platinum certification and awards program joins a growing roster of curators on the service, which includes a variety of media publications, lifestyle brands, festivals, and record labels, including Music Canada member organizations Universal Music Canada, Warner Music Canada, Sony Music Canada, 604 Records, Last Gang, and Cadence Music.

Music fans can follow the Gold/Platinum Canada curator channel through the Playlists section of Apple Music. Five unique playlists are available upon launch, including Gold In Canada which is updated every Thursday with 50 of the latest singles that have the coveted Gold certification, as well as 2017: Year-End Recap, which features more than 300 songs newly certified in 2017.

There are three new all-Canadian playlists available now on Apple Music:

Canada Rocks The 2000s – a selection of Canadian rock and alternative hits certified by Music Canada that filled the airwaves and our portable music players in the Aughts;
Canada Vibes – a timeline of Gold/Platinum-certified Canadian hip-hop, rap, and R&B;
Forty 45s – a collection of past Canadian hits, originally certified by Music Canada as Physical Vinyl or CD Singles.

Music Canada first began accepting on-demand streaming data towards Gold/Platinum certifications with the launch of the Single Award in 2016. In the summer of 2017, Music Canada updated the guidelines for the historic Album Award to begin including Stream Equivalent Albums (SEA) and Track Equivalent Albums (TEA).

Check out Music Canada’s Gold/Platinum playlists on Apple Music here.

Follow Gold/Platinum Canada on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to stay up-to-date with the latest certification announcements, award plaque presentations and playlist additions.

For more information:
Bram Gonshor, Music Canada
bgonshor@musiccanada.com
(416) 967-7272 x 0

Categories: Digital Services, Gold/Platinum, Industry News, News Release
Tags: Apple Music, Curator, Gold In Canada, Gold/Platinum, Playlists

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Music Canada applauds Ministers Bains and Joly for initiating the statutory review of Copyright Act

Posted December 13, 2017 by Quentin Burgess

Toronto, Dec 13, 2017: Music Canada applauds today’s announcement by The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, in conjunction with The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage, regarding the review of the Copyright Act, to be conducted by the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology.

“I applaud Minister Bains and Minister Joly for initiating this review of the Copyright Act,” says Graham Henderson, President and CEO of Music Canada. “Music creators, and all creators who depend on copyright, deserve a Copyright Act that protects their rights when their works are commercialized by others. This is our chance to address the Value Gap threatening the livelihood of Canadian creators and the future of Canadian culture.”

Music Canada recently examined the significant changes in business models that are impacting the value chains for copyrighted content in our report, The Value Gap: Its Origins, Impacts and a Made-in-Canada Approach.

“A modern copyright framework containing strong IP and copyright provisions is essential for an effective marketplace for music creators,” says Artist Advocate Miranda Mulholland. “This Copyright Act review is an important first step in ensuring artists and labels are able to earn a fair market value for their work. Canadian creators have been eagerly awaiting this review.”

Music Canada looks forward to participating in the process to ensure that creators are fairly compensated for the use of their works under the revised Act.

Adds Henderson, “We must ensure this review yields meaningful results.”

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For more information:
Corey Poole, Music Canada
cpoole@musiccanada.com
+1 (647) 808-7359

Categories: Industry News, News Release
Tags: Copyright Act, Graham Henderson, Mélanie Joly, Navdeep Bains

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Breakthrough collaboration between Bell Media, Music Canada and Re:Sound creates international gold standard with music creators at its heart

Posted December 6, 2017 by Music Canada

Toronto, Dec 6, 2017: Advancements in cross-platform reporting have ushered in a new era of cooperation between Canada’s music and media industries. Developed by Bell Media, Music Canada and Re:Sound, the new process aligns terrestrial broadcast data with digital, ensuring all music industry stakeholders are served with efficiency, transparency, and accountability, while setting a new industry standard for data reporting. With this game-changing initiative by Bell Media, the automation of the existing music content distribution tool allows the industry to streamline sound recording data within the Canadian music ecosystem.

The new system is part of an ongoing project to develop administrative efficiencies by Music Canada and Re:Sound. Through consolidating multiple data sets, maximizing the use of ISRC (International Standard Recording Codes), and other improvements, the project has so far resulted in faster payouts and 28% more revenue for major labels and members of CIMA (the Canadian Independent Music Association).

Beginning with a successful pilot program of the new system by Toronto’s 104.5 CHUM FM in early 2017, Bell Media radio stations are now tracking complete sound recording data including ISRC automatically on new tracks from major record labels and independent label partners. With the elimination of manual processes, the new reporting system has resulted in cleaner data, which significantly benefits all rights holders in the Canadian music industry including artists, background musicians, songwriters, and music publishers, through organizations (SOCAN, CMRRA, SODRAC, etc.) relying on broadcast data to get royalties to rights holders.

“I commend Bell Media, and specifically Randy Lennox, for showing remarkable leadership on this project,” says Graham Henderson, President and CEO of Music Canada. “Thanks to this collaboration, achievements in data efficiency from projects completed by the major record companies and Re:Sound will now yield even greater results, generating savings throughout the royalty chain, while resulting in more dollars in the pockets of creators.”

“As someone with love for Canada’s music industry, I am thrilled by the results of this project,” said Randy Lennox, President, Bell Media. “When Music Canada’s Graham Henderson approached us to help resolve what has been a longstanding issue within Canada’s music industry, it was an easy decision to lend Bell Media’s resources and expertise. The automation of the tracking process establishes international best practices that benefit creators while making the entire system considerably more efficient.”

“At Re:Sound, we only exist for the artists and sound recording owners we represent,” says Ian MacKay, President of Re:Sound. “Ensuring that the absolute best quality data flows through the entire music ecosystem is a huge step forward for rights holders, and will help us (and other organizations) to ensure that we pay the right people as quickly and efficiently as possible. We couldn’t have done this without the strong leadership of Bell Media and Music Canada.”

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For more information:

Siobhan Özege, Re:Sound
sozege@resound.ca
+1 (416) 968-8870 ext 369

Corey Poole, Music Canada
cpoole@musiccanada.com
+1 (647) 808-7359

Renee Dupuis-Macht, Bell Media
Renee.dupuismacht@bellmedia.ca
+1 (416) 384-3154

About Re:Sound
Re:Sound is the Canadian not-for-profit music licensing company dedicated to obtaining fair compensation for artists and record companies for their performance rights. Re:Sound advocates for music creators, educates music users, licenses businesses and distributes public performance and broadcast royalties to creators – all to help build a thriving and sustainable music industry in Canada. For more on Re:Sound Music Licensing, please visit www.resound.ca

About Bell Media
Bell Media is Canada’s leading content creation company with premier assets in television, radio, out-of-home advertising, and digital media. Bell Media owns 30 local television stations led by CTV, Canada’s highest-rated television network; 30 specialty channels, including TSN and RDS, and four pay TV services, including The Movie Network and Super Écran. Bell Media is also Canada’s largest radio broadcaster, with 215 music channels including 105 licensed radio stations in 54 markets across the country, all part of the iHeartRadio brand and streaming service. Bell Media owns Astral Out of Home with a network of more than 30,000 advertising faces in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Québec, and Nova Scotia. Bell Media also operates more than 200 websites; delivers TV Everywhere with its CraveTV and GO video streaming services; operates multi-channel network Much Digital Studios; produces live theatrical shows via its partnership with Iconic Entertainment Studios; and owns Dome Productions Inc., a multi-platform production company. Bell Media is part of BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada’s largest communications company. For more on Bell Media, please visit www.bellmedia.ca.

Categories: Industry News, News Release
Tags: Bell Media, Graham Henderson, Ian Mackay, ISRC, Music royalties, Randy Lennox, Re:Sound

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Media Advisory: Where would Google be without creators and the distortion of copyright protections?

Posted November 2, 2017 by Corey Poole

Toronto, Nov. 2, 2017: In a ground-breaking report, Music Canada, a national trade organization, documents the scale of harm being caused by the Value Gap – defined as the significant disparity between the value of creative content that is accessed, particularly through user upload content services like YouTube, and the revenues returned to the people and businesses who create it.

“This is the story you will not hear from Google,” says Graham Henderson, President and CEO of Music Canada. “YouTube would never have emerged as the largest music service without distorting the use of safe harbour protections in copyright law that were created to protect ‘mere conduits’ or ‘dumb pipes.’ We now know that today’s digital platforms are the smartest pipes that have ever been imagined.”

Creators and governments around the world are taking notice, and taking action. In Canada, thousands of musicians, authors, poets, visual artists, playwrights and other members of the creative class, have urged the Canadian government to address the Value Gap in a campaign called Focus On Creators.

The Value Gap: Its Origins, Impacts and a Made-in-Canada Approach is available for download at https://musiccanada.com/resources/research/the-value-gap-report/.

Interviews are available at request.

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For more information please contact:

Corey Poole
Communications Coordinator
Music Canada
647-808-7359

Categories: News Release
Tags: Focus On Creators, The Value Gap: Its Origins Impacts and a Made-In-Canada Approach, Value Gap

Music Canada

Gold & Platinum

Music Canada

Gold & Platinum

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