FAC & MMF publish White Paper ahead of Government response to DCMS Select Committee Streaming Report
With the UK Government expected to respond imminently to the extensive series of recommendations made by cross-party MPs on the DCMS Select Committee that called for a “complete reset” of music streaming, the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) and Music Managers Forum (MMF) are today publishing a new White Paper - outlining the key issues raised by the Committee, and the scope for addressing their concerns through legislative and industry-led reforms.
The aim of the document is to provide artists and managers with a condensed yet comprehensive overview of the key discussion points of the Committee’s work, and to outline the FAC and MMF’s shared positions on three key areas:
Record contracts and artist royalties.
Royalty chains and the black box.
Platform licensing, transparency and streaming service advances.
The full White Paper can be accessed here in our Free Guides section.
FAC and MMF believe this is a once in a generation opportunity to deliver a fairer and more equitable music business and, although favouring industry-led changes, maintain the importance of Government’s role in ensuring the momentum of the Parliamentary inquiry is now maintained.
Both organisations also support key changes to UK copyright law, including a new contract adjustment right, as well as limitations on the length of time that record labels or “rights owners” can legally control an artist’s work.
The publication follows an online FAC / MMF seminar on the Select Committee inquiry last week which attracted more than 200 artist and manager participants.
David Martin, CEO, Featured Artists Coalition:
“Following publication of the Committee’s landmark report over the summer, we are anticipating that the Government will respond to its recommendations on music streaming before the end of this month. That response will be absolutely critical to the livelihoods of our members, and it is why we are publishing this White Paper today.”
Annabella Coldrick, CEO, Music Managers Forum:
“We were absolutely delighted with the level of engagement at last week’s online seminar, and that the degree of interest about the inquiry from both artists and managers remains undimmed. We hope this short and punchy White Paper will serve as a helpful reminder of the key issues at play, and reiterate the urgency for both industry and policy-makers to step up and deliver artist-friendly reforms.”
A first-person piece by David Martin about the White Paper can be found here.