The media job massacre of 2023 has dealt a severe blow to the industry, with nearly 20,000 jobs already lost in the first six months. The convergence of technological disruptions, changing consumer habits, consolidation, and automation has created a perfect storm, forcing media organizations to restructure and downsize.
Writers Strike Union Solidarity and The Network and Streamer Scramble for New Content
The ongoing writers strike, supported by the Writers Guild of America (WGA), has now entered its 45th day, causing significant disruptions in the entertainment industry. Networks and streaming platforms are finding themselves in a state of panic as they struggle to fill their programming schedules for the upcoming fall season. With the absence of new scripts and content, the ability to produce fresh and captivating shows has become a challenge. This situation is further exacerbated by the fact that award shows, including those aired on CBS, are expected to suffer as well. The strike is causing a ripple effect throughout the industry, impacting not only the networks and streamers but also various events that rely on quality scripts and writing talent.
Twitter In Trouble with The Music Industry, While Universal Music makes a deal with Soundcloud for artists.
Twitter, one of the major social media platforms, is currently facing a lawsuit from major music conglomerates such as Universal, Sony, and Warner. The lawsuit alleges that Twitter knowingly hosts and streams infringing copies of music compositions without obtaining the proper licenses, resulting in mass copyright infringement. Unlike other platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat, Twitter does not have music licensing deals in place. The publishers argue that Twitter intentionally fosters a user base that posts videos with copyright-protected music to increase engagement and advertising revenue. The lawsuit seeks damages of at least $250 million and accuses Twitter of direct copyright infringement, contributory infringement, and vicarious infringement.
In a separate development, Universal Music Group (UMG), the world's largest music rightsholder, is engaging in talks with the music streaming service SoundCloud to explore a new payment model for artists. UMG has been actively working on improving payments from streaming services and has formed partnerships with TIDAL and Deezer to research new streaming models. Streaming has become a vital component of the music industry, accounting for the majority of recorded music revenues globally. However, the pro-rata payment model used by most streaming services has faced criticism for favoring smaller actors and undervaluing artists' contributions. UMG is advocating for a new "artist-centric" payment model to ensure fair compensation for artists based on their streams.
These developments highlight the ongoing challenges in the music industry regarding copyright infringement and artist compensation. As music consumption continues to shift towards online platforms, it is crucial for all stakeholders to work together to find solutions that protect artists' rights and ensure fair compensation for their creative work.
Record number of media job cuts so far in 2023 https://www.axios.com/2023/06/13/media-job-cuts-record
Media Layoffs: LA Times, the Athletic, and 37 More Companies Cut Staff https://www.businessinsider.com/media-layoffs-rattle-netflix-nbcu-roku-vice-buzzfeed-wbd-disney-2022-12
'It's gonna be a hot labor summer' — unionized workers show up for striking writers https://www.npr.org/2023/06/14/1181947862/writers-strike-union-solidarity
Writers Are Fighting a Long History of Pattern Bargaining: ‘We Are in a New World’ https://variety.com/2023/biz/news/wga-dga-pattern-bargaining-history-1235644014/
It sounds like CBS is realizing their fall schedule isn't going to work
CBS will swap scheduled scripted series for—surprise!—a "reality-heavy" fall lineup
https://www.avclub.com/cbs-reconfiguring-fall-schedule-amid-strike-1850538843
Networks To Air Streaming Series Because They Are Out Of Content?
CBS is considering airing Paramount+ exclusives in lieu of the ongoing writers' strike.
https://www.giantfreakinrobot.com/ent/network-tv-streaming-cbs-paramount.html
Twitter Sued By Music Publishers For Copyright Infringement https://deadline.com/2023/06/twitter-sued-music-publishers-copyright-infringement-1235417531/
Music Piracy Is Still a Problem — But It’s a Manageable One: While TV/film continues to struggle with piracy, for music it's hardly the problem it once was thanks to the industry's approach to streaming. https://www.billboard.com/pro/music-piracy-still-a-problem-manageable/ https://archive.ph/CXs4o#selection-2021.0-2027.142
Universal Music Group (UMG), the world’s largest music rightsholder, has entered talks with music streaming service SoundCloud about changing the way artists are paid for streams.
https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/universal-and-soundcloud-are-in-talks-over-a-new-way-to-pay-artists-for-streaming/
YouTube is lowering the barrier to be eligible for its monetization program https://techcrunch.com/2023/06/13/youtube-is-lowering-the-barrier-to-be-eligible-for-its-monetization-program/
Retail Media Networks Are Hot. How Can Radio Get In On The Action? https://www.insideradio.com/free/retail-media-networks-are-hot-how-can-radio-get-in-on-the-action/article_cd2ccae0-0b55-11ee-8f5f-0f0fad127305.html
Radio station gets part-time AI DJ based on its midday host https://techcrunch.com/2023/06/14/radio-station-gets-part-time-ai-dj-based-on-its-midday-host/
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