Media Hunter

Record deals for unsigned brands

Source: Jane Schulze, The Australian

ADVERTISERS are being offered a front-row seat in the evolving world of music retailing through a unique Australian joint venture.

GroupM, the media investment arm of global communications group WPP, and Universal Music have teamed to create BrandAmp, a company set up to give advertisers unprecedented access to the world of music.

As physical sales of recorded music continue to decline and advertisers seek new ways of reaching customers, BrandAmp will match advertisers with musicians in an attempt to expand the businesses of both clients.

That means Universal Music's artists, such as Brian McFadden and Vanessa Amorosi, will have the chance to work with the advertiser clients of GroupM agencies MediaCom, MindShare, Maxus and Mediaedge:cia.

Radiohead showing the way forward in a digital world

The music industry is in absolute disarray. Cd sales are plummeting, artists are going "independent", the old world model is falling apart. iTunes provided a partial answer to the problem, with a legal, reliable system for downloading music, but it still hasn't stopped the bleeding.  Most recording companies and artists don't have an answer. Up til now the best solution big record companies have had is to sue down loaders and try to prevail with fear tactics.

The same is beginning to happen to publishing. Television has major concerns about the downloading of programs as they too begin to lose control of the audience and distribution.

In the midst of the digital revolution, English rock band Radiohead have taken control of their future by engaging the audience in the most unique ways.

Music cuts threat in copyright case

Source: Lara Sinclair, The Australian

THE commercial TV networks are expected to cut back the amount of Australian music they broadcast if steep increases in copyright payments to recording artists are awarded against them in the federal court.

Commercial TV networks could cut back their use of Australian music if steep increases in copyright payments to recording artists are awarded against them in the federal court. Cartoon: Kudelka

The Phonographic Performance Company of Australia has taken Free TV Australia to the Copyright Tribunal in an action that could lead to an increase in the broadcasters' annual copyright payments to the PPCA.

We Can't Be Beaten

Speaking of community efforts.... a great initiative has been undertaken by local muso's and marketers to say thanks to all the volunteers and heroes of the recent storms and floods in the Hunter Region.

Craig "Rosie" Rosevear, formerly of the Screaming Jets, currently with The Retro Rockets and DV8 and owner of Rosie's School of Rock has decided to hold a tribute concert on the Newcastle Foreshore on July 22.

As part of the tribute he and a bunch of Newcastle music legends got together to record a roaring version of the old Rose Tattoo hit "We Can't Be Beaten". The song was recorded at Tighes Hill TAFE, and an alternate version has been recorded featuring local SES workers.

Newcastle advertising agency Sticky is producing an accompanying video clip featuring the band, SES, Hunter Jaegers and images of the storm event. Sticky have also been co-ordinating the publicity and sponsorship for the CD and concert.

NBN Television have thrown their support behind the concert with a free advertising schedule, while ONE80 Digital Post are donating editing facilities for the production of the video clip.

Adding to the community driven flavour, the CD cover art is largely made up of images sourced from Flikr and used with permission of the owners.

Companion Credit Union have come on board as major sponsor of the event with a generous donation. The CD will be available from Companion branches from 18 July.

Finally, Newcastle-based "citizen powered media" site Hunters Best have become the information base for the event and CD launch.

This has all come together in a matter of days and demonstrate the power of a community pulling together fr a common cause.

Congratulations everyone involved.

Music Player

MTV Honours Silverchair

April 26, 2007
Newcastle rockers Silverchair will perform and be awarded the Australian MTV generation's equivalent to a lifetime achievement award at the music channel's Video Music Awards on Sunday.

Silverchair will receive the first Australian Video Vanguard Award for their "profound effect on the MTV culture" after the release of the band's fifth number one album, Young Modern. The award has been presented at the American Video Music Awards since 1984 to artists including Madonna, Michael Jackson, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Rolling Stones. But this will be Australia's first in the third year of the MTV Australia VMAs. "This award is MTV Australia's way of thanking Silverchair for providing a fantastic and progressive soundtrack to many of our viewers' lives," MTV Networks Australia executive producer Ean Thorley said. "In the eyes of MTV Australia there couldn't be a more perfect choice for their first Video Vanguard Award than Silverchair."

The group exploded onto the international music scene in 1995 as bright-eyed and long-haired teenagers with their debut album Frogstomp and have since started to rival Madonna in the art of reinvention. Bass player Chris Joannou said it felt weird to be getting an award for their career's achievement at age 27, but the band would gladly accept it. "We actually always used to hate making videos ... so they should really be giving this award to all those poor directors we've worked with over the years," he joked. "But MTV have offered the gong to us for some reason so, of course, we are happy to step in now and take all the credit for their hard work."

The band will most likely perform their single Straight Lines at Sunday's awards at Sydney's Acer Arena which will be hosted by Fergie from The Black Eyed Peas and pop-punk act Good Charlotte. They will join a star-studded line-up including P!nk, 30 Seconds To Mars, Teddy Geiger, Eskimo Joe, Evermore, Stephanie Macintosh, Sneaky Sound System, Nicole Ritchie, Damien Leith and Welsh daredevils, Dirty Sanchez. Internet and text message voting continues until Saturday in categories such as best female and male artist and spankin' new artist. The awards will be broadcast on Foxtel, Network Ten and MTV's broadband channel Overdrive.

Source: AAP