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Business News Deals Labels & Publishers
Absolute and Bucks partner on neighbouring rights business
By Chris Cooke | Published on Wednesday 8 November 2017
Label services company Absolute and music publisher Bucks Music have formally unveiled a new joint venture focused on those neighbouring rights you all keep talking about, which are basically the performing rights that come as part of the sound recording copyright.
Because of the so called ‘performer equitable remuneration’ principle that exists in most copyright systems, income generated by the neighbouring rights are shared equally between performers and copyright owners, meaning companies focused on these rights often work for both artists and labels. As will this here Absolute Rights Management.
Of course, licensees looking to exploit the performing rights in other people’s music usually get their licences via the collective licensing system. This means artists and labels can access this money simply by joining their local collecting society – so, in the UK, PPL.
However, neighbouring rights companies make sure said societies have all the right data to ensure their clients get everything they are due. They also argue that – because they deal directly with collecting societies around the world – the artists and labels they represent should get paid quicker than relying on the reciprocal agreements that exist between their local society and all the other collective management organisations worldwide.
The new Absolute Rights Management JV is being headed up by Gina Deacon. She has been managing neighbouring rights for years already on behalf of clients that partner with Absolute on marketing and distribution. But, through the new business – which has been piloting for about a year now – neighbouring rights management is being offered as a standalone service. This, in particular, opens it up to artists.
Announcing the new business, Absolute MD Henry Semmence said: “Absolute and Bucks have been long-time collaborators and we’ve always worked well together. We have the same commitment to service when it comes to our clients and believe that together we can provide the most complete neighbouring rights offering on the market”.
Meanwhile Bucks Music MD Simon Platz added: “This JV with Absolute feels like a natural fit considering the kinship of our two companies in terms of both our philosophy and approach to the business and our clients. Together we have a wealth of resources and expertise that will benefit performing artists of all shapes and sizes”.
