Toronto Digital Music Company Mediazoic Announces Licensing Deal with AVLA
Toronto, January 24, 2012: Toronto-based digital music company Mediazoic today announced a deal with the AVLA (Audio-Video Licensing Agency), which will allow Mediazoic’s internet radio network to carry the music catalogues of more than 1000 record companies representing the majority of all sound recordings and music videos produced and/or distributed in Canada.
Based out of a radio and record production studio in downtown Toronto, Mediazoic makes software that allows both individuals and commercial organizations to create, customize and curate their own internet radio stations. The system keeps track of all “listens” throughout the network, allowing royalties to be paid not only to the creators and rights holders of the music, but also to other stakeholders in the music ecosystem.
Current station hosts on the Canadian-owned-and-operated internet radio network include renowned deejay Alan Cross, iconic Toronto live music venue Hugh’s Room, annual music festival Indie Week, and local hip hop MC and artist MC FÜBB.
Cross, whose Weekly Top 11 show is unveiled every Friday on the network, has high praise for what Mediazoic’s unique take on internet radio has done for him. “Mediazoic’s resources have been a big help to my website, driving both traffic and time spent.” he enthuses, “Everyone should give the company a look.”
The network also has several radio shows in development, which will benefit from the wide range of music that this deal opens for Mediazoic and its listeners. One such show is hosted by established music journalist Karen Bliss, who will be resurrecting her popular interview show Lowdown, a one-hour comprehensive “this is your life” type show. Lowdown, Bliss’s music industry brand, has appeared in all kind of incarnations: a Canadian music industry column, an online radio show, a TV segment on Inside Jam, a TV show on Bite TV, and a music seminar. Through these formats, she has covered hundreds of artists, including Avril Lavigne, Billy Talent, Nelly Furtado and Sum 41.
“Our listeners know that every one of our stations has been playing great music since our launch last year.” says Mediazoic founder Greg Nisbet, “but let’s face it, now that our station hosts can throw a bit of Joni Mitchell, K’naan or Leonard Cohen into the mix, the listener experience is going to get a whole lot better. Our aim has always been to capture some of the magic that happens between people when great music is created and heard, and spread that magic across the digital realm, so we’re really excited about all of the wonderful collaborations that this deal will allow us to explore.”
“We’re pleased to work with Mediazoic, which will ensure that all of our members, whether they represent emerging or established artists, benefit equally from “plays” on this innovative new network,” says Graham Henderson, President of AVLA and Music Canada.
The deal between Mediazoic and AVLA covers reproduction rights. Mediazoic is also working with Re:Sound, the Canadian not-for-profit music licensing company that licenses recorded music for public performance, broadcast and new media to cover performance rights. “We’re always happy to work with innovative companies like Mediazoic to ensure that music creators are fairly compensated within emerging business models.” said Ian MacKay, Re:Sound’s President.
About Mediazoic
Mediazoic is a next-generation music and media organization, based in Toronto, whose mission is to bring together like-minded people, both digitally and physically, with outstanding, highly curated content. Mediazoic’s growing network of operations includes Internet radio stations, live events, content development and licensing, and infrastructure for artist publicity and promotion. www.mediazoic.com
About AVLA
The AVLA Audio-Video Licensing Agency (AVLA) represents nearly 1000 major and independent record companies and other copyright owners, including many independent artists. Our members own or control the copyright in the vast majority of all sound recordings produced and distributed in Canada. We license the broadcasting and reproduction of our members’ audio and video recordings in Canada. www.avla.ca
About Re:Sound
Re:Sound Music Licensing Company is the Canadian not-for-profit music licensing company dedicated to obtaining fair compensation for artists and record companies for their performance rights. On behalf of its members, representing thousands of artists and record companies, Re:Sound licenses recorded music for public performance, broadcast and new media. All of the
money collected by Re:Sound is distributed to our members, less only our actual costs. Created in 1997 (as NRCC), our member organisations are ACTRA RACS, ARTISTI, MROC, AVLA and SOPROQ. For more information, please visit us at www.resound.ca.
Contact Info:
Greg Nisbet, Mediazoic
647-294-0153
gregn@mediazoic.com
Amy Terrill, AVLA
(416) 922-8727
aterrill@avla.ca
CBC and AVLA announce historic music licensing deal
January 24, 2012 – CBC and the Audio-Video Licensing Agency (AVLA) are pleased to announce that a groundbreaking music licensing deal has been reached. This historic deal will allow CBC to offer Canadians more of its radio programs on-line, on demand, as well as launch a new Canadian digital music service this winter.
This entrepreneurial breakthrough required nimble and imaginative business thinking on the part of both CBC and AVLA (which was negotiating on behalf of its entire membership of almost 1000 major and independent music companies). The deal is the first negotiated collective license in Canada for on-line streaming and podcasting of radio and on-line digital music programming.
“We are thrilled to have been able to work together with CBC to license a service that will be extremely welcome in Canada, where there are only a handful of digital options for consumers. This groundbreaking agreement means that music fans will have more access to the best in Canadian music, whether by emerging or established artists, while creators will enjoy full recognition for the value of their work,” says Graham Henderson, President of AVLA and Music Canada.
“As Canada’s national public broadcaster, we must provide opportunities for Canadians to enjoy our on-air radio programs anywhere they wish but also to offer original new ways to connect Canadians with music where, when and how they want it” says Chris Boyce, executive director of radio and audio of CBC English Services.
“Through this new relationship with AVLA and the Canadian music labels, CBC will be able to offer its programs on-demand complete with music while at the same time building a new digital music service, that will be unlike any other available today in Canada”, says Boyce. “As part of our on-going commitment to Canadian culture, this will be accomplished by combining the power of context, curation and community in new and innovative ways,” adds Boyce.
More details about CBC’s unique digital music service will be announced in the coming weeks.
About CBC/Radio-Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. The Corporation is a leader in reaching Canadians on new platforms and delivers a comprehensive range of radio, television, Internet, and satellite-based services. Deeply rooted in the regions, CBC/Radio-Canada is the only domestic broadcaster to offer diverse regional and cultural perspectives in English, French and eight Aboriginal languages, plus seven languages for international audiences. In 2011, CBC/Radio-Canada celebrated 75 years of serving Canadians and being at the centre of the democratic, social and cultural life of Canada.
About AVLA
The AVLA Audio-Video Licensing Agency (AVLA) represents nearly 1000 major and independent record companies and other copyright owners, including many independent artists. Our members own or control the copyright in the vast majority of all sound recordings produced and distributed in Canada. We license the broadcasting and reproduction of our members’ audio and video recordings in Canada. www.avla.ca
For further information, contact:
Nell Crichton, Veritas Communications
(416) 482-0864
Crichton@veritascanada.com
Amy Terrill, AVLA
(416) 922-8727
aterrill@avla.ca
First Canadian Commercial-free mobile streaming service launches with collective licensing agreement
The agreement with Stingray is Canada’s first collective semi-interactive agreement and was negotiated by AVLA and SOPROQ on behalf of their members who represent the majority of recorded music in Canada, laying the groundwork for future agreements of its kind.
Music Canada, which represents Canada’s major record labels, spearheaded the negotiations, empowering AVLA to act on its behalf. Graham Henderson, President of Music Canada, points out that the major labels want to see more digital services operating in Canada as quickly as possible,
“We aggressively pursued this pioneering agreement because we understand how cumbersome our regulatory environment can be, and we want to help services better navigate it. We hope the Stingray agreement sets the stage for other online and mobile services, and signals to the marketplace that Canada is open for business.”
“For digital music services who are eager to enter the Canadian market, it is an enormous benefit to be able to negotiate with one or two organizations rather than 1500 plus rights holders,” says Victoria Shepherd, Executive Director of AVLA.
Stingray release.FINAL.pdf
You can also find Galaxie’s official release on marketwire.
Music Canada