The Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC), which is tasked with tracking, collecting, and distributing mechanical licenses from streaming services in the U.S., has just been granted a $62 million starting budget. Initially, the MLC — principally backed…
Category archives: Legislative
Top Streaming Exec: The MLC Is Choking On a ‘Once-In-a-Lifetime Opportunity’
Major streaming services appear to be growing increasingly frustrated with the as-yet-unformed Mechanical Licensing Collective, or MLC. Just this morning, a top executive at one of the largest streaming platforms in the world — who wished to remain ano…
Radio Broadcasters, Streaming Services Demand a Truly Comprehensive Music Rights Database
The National Association of Broadcasters, DiMA, and dozens of other organizations are demanding the creation of a far more comprehensive music rights database. Since the passage of the Music Modernization Act (MMA) into law in 2018, publishers and stre…
TikTok Is Now Under Investigation by the U.S. Government
Reuters is reporting that the U.S. government has initiated a national security probe of the parent of TikTok and their $1 billion acquisition of Musical.ly. Reuters is basing the report on two sources who have knowledge of the investigation. TikTok…
Streaming Giant Balks at Mechanical Licensing Collective’s $66.25 Million Startup Budget
The Mechanical Licensing Collective’s healthy startup budget is meeting resistance from at least one major streaming platform. Just how much does it cost to start a US-based licensing agency for streaming mechanicals? The newly-minted Mechanical …
State of Virginia Moves to License Music Therapists
Health regulators in Virginia are asking the state’s legislature to establish a system for licensing music therapists. If Virginia’s General Assembly enacts the proposal, the new system would not only determine what music therapists can and…
Emergency Alerts: Coming Soon to Spotify, Apple Music, and Netflix
If you find emergency alerts on your phone annoying, be prepared to be annoyed a lot more. A new U.S. government bill would require streaming platforms, such as Spotify, Apple Music, and Netflix, to issue emergency alerts. The alerts would be similar t…
House of Representatives Passes Small Claims Copyright Bill for Infringements Under $30,000
There’s big news on the copyright front — for small infractions. Small claims court systems exist throughout the world and are a fixture in every U.S. state and county. The processes are streamlined and quick, with judges typically reviewing doze…
Artist Activist David Lowery Quits the Mechanical Licensing Collective After Just 4 Months
David Lowery, a longtime champion for artists and outspoken critic of major streaming platforms, has abruptly departed the Mechanical Licensing Collective’s Unclaimed Royalties Oversight Committee. The news comes as the paint is still drying on t…
U.S. Congress Is Getting Involved In Spotify’s Complaint Against Apple
Just ahead of the weekend, U.S. Congress officially requested information from Spotify as part of a broader antitrust investigation being conducting on Apple. The Congressional inquiry aims to determine if Apple employs anti-competitive behavior in sup…