collective management organisations

The politics of the Digital Single Market: culture vs. competition vs. copyright external link

Schroff, S. & Street, J.

Information, Communication & Society, 2017

Abstract

This paper examines the implications for European music culture of the European Union’s (EU) Digital Single Market strategy. It focuses on the regulatory framework being created for the management of copyright policy, and in particular the role played by collective management organisations (CMOs or collecting societies). One of the many new opportunities created by digitalisation has been the music streaming services. These depend on consumers being able to access music wherever they are, but such a system runs counter to the management of rights on a national basis and through collecting organisations which act as monopolies within their own territories. The result has been ‘geo-blocking’. The EU has attempted to resolve this problem in a variety of ways, most recently in a Directive designed to reform the CMOs. In this paper, we document these various efforts, showing them to be motivated by a deep-seated and persisting belief in the capacity of ‘competition’ to resolve problems that, we argue, actually lie elsewhere – in copyright policy itself. The result is that the EU’s intervention fails to address its core concern and threatens the diversity of European music culture by rewarding those who are already commercially successful.

Links

collective management organisations, copyright policy, Digital Single Market, frontpage, geo-blocking, music industry

Bibtex

Article{Schroff2017,
	title = {The politics of the Digital Single Market: culture vs. competition vs. copyright},
	author = {Schroff, S. and Street, J.},
	url = {http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1369118X.2017.1309445},
	doi = {https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2017.1309445},
	year = {0404},
	date = {2017-04-04},
	journal = {Information, Communication & Society},
	abstract = {This paper examines the implications for European music culture of the European Union’s (EU) Digital Single Market strategy. It focuses on the regulatory framework being created for the management of copyright policy, and in particular the role played by collective management organisations (CMOs or collecting societies). One of the many new opportunities created by digitalisation has been the music streaming services. These depend on consumers being able to access music wherever they are, but such a system runs counter to the management of rights on a national basis and through collecting organisations which act as monopolies within their own territories. The result has been ‘geo-blocking’. The EU has attempted to resolve this problem in a variety of ways, most recently in a Directive designed to reform the CMOs. In this paper, we document these various efforts, showing them to be motivated by a deep-seated and persisting belief in the capacity of ‘competition’ to resolve problems that, we argue, actually lie elsewhere – in copyright policy itself. The result is that the EU’s intervention fails to address its core concern and threatens the diversity of European music culture by rewarding those who are already commercially successful.},
	keywords = {collective management organisations, copyright policy, Digital Single Market, frontpage, geo-blocking, music industry},
}

Regulating Collective Management by Competition: an Incomplete Answer to the Licensing Problem external link

Hviid, M., Schroff, S. & Street, J.

JIPITEC, vol. 7, num: 3, pp: 256- 270, 2017

Abstract

While the three functions of Collective Management Organisations - to licence use, monitor use, and to collect and distribute the revenue - have traditionally been accepted as a progression towards a natural (national) monopoly, digital exploitation of music may no longer lead to such a fate. The European Commission has challenged the traditional structures through reforms that increase the degree of competition. This paper asks whether the reforms have had the desired effect and shows, through qualitative research, that at least regarding the streaming of music, competition has not delivered. Part of the reason for this may be that the services required by the now competing CMOs have changed.

Bibtex

Article{Hviid2017,
	title = {Regulating Collective Management by Competition: an Incomplete Answer to the Licensing Problem},
	author = {Hviid, M. and Schroff, S. and Street, J.},
	url = {https://www.jipitec.eu/issues/jipitec-7-3-2016/4507},
	year = {0131},
	date = {2017-01-31},
	journal = {JIPITEC},
	volume = {7},
	number = {3},
	pages = {256- 270},
	abstract = {While the three functions of Collective Management Organisations - to licence use, monitor use, and to collect and distribute the revenue - have traditionally been accepted as a progression towards a natural (national) monopoly, digital exploitation of music may no longer lead to such a fate. The European Commission has challenged the traditional structures through reforms that increase the degree of competition. This paper asks whether the reforms have had the desired effect and shows, through qualitative research, that at least regarding the streaming of music, competition has not delivered. Part of the reason for this may be that the services required by the now competing CMOs have changed.},
	keywords = {collective management organisations, competition, frontpage, licensing reforms EC, qualitative research},
}

Regulating for Creativity and Cultural Diversity: the Case of Collective Management Organisations and the Music Industry external link

Street, J., Laing, D. & Schroff, S.

International Journal of Cultural Policy, pp: 1-16, 2017

Abstract

This paper explores the role of intermediary institutions in promoting creativity and cultural diversity in the music industry, and the impact of cultural policy on the performance of those intermediaries. It reviews some of the existing literature on the relationship between economic conditions and innovation in music, and argues that too little attention has been paid to intermediaries. Focusing on collective management organisations (CMOs) as one example of overlooked intermediaries, we illustrate, by way of comparison, the different priorities and incentives that drive CMO practice. These variations, we suggest, are important to appreciating how CMOs operate as intermediaries in different territories. We then turn our attention to recent attempts by the EU to reform CMO practice as part of its Digital Single Market project. The fact that the CMO has been an object of reform is indicative of its importance. However, there is more at stake here: the reforms themselves, in seeking to change the role and behaviour of CMOs will, we suggest, have profound consequences for the market in music in Europe, and for creativity and cultural diversity within that market.

Links

collective management organisations, Copyright, creativity, cultural diversity, Digital Single Market, EU, frontpage, music industry

Bibtex

Article{Street2016,
	title = {Regulating for Creativity and Cultural Diversity: the Case of Collective Management Organisations and the Music Industry},
	author = {Street, J. and Laing, D. and Schroff, S.},
	url = {http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10286632.2016.1178733},
	doi = {https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10286632.2016.1178733},
	year = {0117},
	date = {2017-01-17},
	journal = {International Journal of Cultural Policy},
	abstract = {This paper explores the role of intermediary institutions in promoting creativity and cultural diversity in the music industry, and the impact of cultural policy on the performance of those intermediaries. It reviews some of the existing literature on the relationship between economic conditions and innovation in music, and argues that too little attention has been paid to intermediaries. Focusing on collective management organisations (CMOs) as one example of overlooked intermediaries, we illustrate, by way of comparison, the different priorities and incentives that drive CMO practice. These variations, we suggest, are important to appreciating how CMOs operate as intermediaries in different territories. We then turn our attention to recent attempts by the EU to reform CMO practice as part of its Digital Single Market project. The fact that the CMO has been an object of reform is indicative of its importance. However, there is more at stake here: the reforms themselves, in seeking to change the role and behaviour of CMOs will, we suggest, have profound consequences for the market in music in Europe, and for creativity and cultural diversity within that market.},
	keywords = {collective management organisations, Copyright, creativity, cultural diversity, Digital Single Market, EU, frontpage, music industry},
}