News

CIMA news covers the latest developments affecting the music industry in Canada and around the world.

In an effort to assist Canada's independent music sector, LiveTourArtists have produced a new software program specifically designed to enable real-time access to a user-friendly, do-it-yourself booking system and database. The online program is designed to enable artists to book themselves, and empower agents to do more. PocketAgentLive is 100% web-based, giving the user instant access from any computer or smartphone.
CIMA Board Member Bob D'Eith has published the following piece in the Vancouver Province regarding the music copyright bill: Having worked in the music business for twenty years, I have witnessed profound changes. For the most part, these changes have been driven by the massive influence of the internet. Music was hit early on by the phenomenon of file sharing on Peer-to-Peer (P2P) networks due to compression technology and small file sizes. The first big player was Napster, which between 1999-2001 revolutionized the way that the general public consumed music. More than that, Napster started to alter the public’s perception of the monetary value of music. While free Napster was shut down by the courts in the USA, the toothpaste was already out of the tube.
CIMA’s submission to the Government of Canada through the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade regarding digital policy.
Toronto, ON (July 6, 2010) - The Short List of 10 Canadian albums selected as nominees for the fifth annual Polaris Music Prize was announced today. The 10 records will vie for the annual $20,000 award, presented by Sirius Satellite Radio.
06/18/2010 Toronto, ON - The President and CEO of FACTOR, Heather Ostertag announced her retirement today at the Annual General Meeting of FACTOR. In her announcement to the Board of Directors Ostertag said, "I have been proud and privileged to have had the opportunity to be part of FACTOR for the past 33 years. The opportunities afforded to me have been incredible and for this, I will be ever grateful. However, the time has come to move on. I wish the Board of Directors and Staff of FACTOR all the best and look forward to our paths crossing in the future." In response to Heather's announcement, the FACTOR Board of Directors stated that they appreciate Heather's commitment to the Canadian music industry and the passion she had for her role at FACTOR. The Board looks forward to building on her legacy in their continued commitment to support Canadian Music.
Currently celebrating its 25th Anniversary, Nettwerk Music Group has announced some exciting changes and additions to the record label, including a U.S. distribution partnership with Alternative Distribution Alliance (ADA) and a number of key senior executive appointments. ADA is the industry’s leading distributor of independent music and video and home to some of the most important indie labels in the business, including Sub Pop, Beggars Music Group, Epitaph and many more. Under the agreement, ADA will handle the U.S. physical and digital distribution of current and upcoming Nettwerk releases, including albums from The Weepies, Great Lake Swimmers, BT, Ladytron, fun. and Angus & Julia Stone, as well as Nettwerk's catalogue, which includes Skinny Puppy, Delerium, Old Crow Medicine Show, Tiësto, Be Good Tanyas and Hope Sandoval.
Record Labels Urge Passage of Robust Digital Copyright Protection
TORONTO, June 3, 2010 - The Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) and Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA) today welcomed the introduction of copyright reform legislation in Parliament.
The organizations, which together represent Canadian independent and major music companies of all sizes, thanked the government for taking this important step to modernizing Canada's Copyright Act.
"We are pleased that the government not only has recognized the need for copyright reform, but is now taking action," said Duncan McKie, President and CEO, CIMA. "Canada's independent record labels, and the artists they represent, need better protection from online piracy to build a successful digital music market."
"We thank the government for taking this step to protect the right of artists and other rights holders to earn a living from their work," said Graham Henderson, President, CRIA. "We are witnessing the emergence of thriving, legitimate online markets in other countries that have implemented robust copyright rules. With the right rules here, there is no reason Canada could not follow the same path."
Daily updates from Hong Kong courtesy of CIMA President & CEO, Duncan McKie
Alli's Journey is excited to share the latest with you in the attached bulletin. Please look at the flyer to see the concert line-up at Take My Hand 5 on June 9th, 2010 at Koerner Hall at the Royal Conservatory in the TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning. Tickets are available online at https://tickets.rcmusic.ca/public/loader.asp?target=hall.asp?event=199 416.782.0057 info@allisjourney.ca www.allisjourney.ca check us out on twitter @allisjourney.
Local Buzz is High as Hong Kong Welcomes Five Emerging Canadian Bands to the Vibrant Asian Region! In one week, Hong Kong’s Lan Kwai Fong Entertainment District will be transformed into Canadian Blast! Asia on May 27, 28 and 29 as five of the best emerging Canadian acts perform for the Asian Music Industry and Hong Kong’s voracious music lovers.
Toronto, May 13, 2010 – The Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) and Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA) today welcomed the US Federal Court ruling yesterday against Limewire, a US-based online file sharing service with extensive reach in Canada and around the world.
The City Sonic iPhone App merges short films with GPS to create a street-level cinema experience of Toronto's music scene and music history.
3 new artists have joined the line up for the “Take my Hand” concert, raising funds to support initiatives for young adults ages 18-35 with cancer.
The Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages announced on April 17th that the Government of Canada is renewing sustainable funding agreements with administrators of the Canada Music Fund: the Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTOR), MUSICACTION, and the SOCAN Foundation. Over $78 million will be distributed to these partners over the next five years, under the New Musical Works, Collective Initiatives, and Creators' Assistance components of the Canada Music Fund.
HarperOne and HarperCollinsCanada announced yesterday the forthcoming publication of celebrated singer/songwriter Bruce Cockburn’s memoir, sold to HarperOne’s Senior Editor Roger Freet by Bernie Finkelstein—Cockburn’s 40 year management partner and founder of True North Records—of The Finkelstein Management Company. Cockburn’s long awaited memoir is set to publish in April 2012. Since 1970, with 30 albums and numerous awards to his credit, Bruce Cockburn has earned high praise as an exceptional songwriter and pioneering guitarist, whose career has been shaped by politics, protest, romance, and spiritual discovery. His remarkable journey has seen him embrace folk, jazz, blues, rock, and worldbeat styles while travelling to such far-flung places as Guatemala, Mali, Mozambique, Afghanistan, and Nepal, and writing memorable songs about his ever-expanding world of wonders.
Canadian artists representing all disciplines of the arts and all genres of music (if musical artists) who are travelling in China and specifically those who will be in Shanghai May - November should submit their credentials and timetable to CIMA at sharon@cimamusic.ca. We have been requested to pass this information along to the Canadian Pavilion programmers as a potential resource for programming in that venue during the Fair. If you’re interested, fill in the form and email it to us prior to May 1st, 2010. Anything submitted after that date cannot be forwarded to the programmers. Remember, the programmers will NOT cover travel to and from Shanghai. Please do not submit if you don’t plan to be there, thanks.
Congratulations to all CIMA Members who were either nominated or won Juno Awards this past weekend. We’re proud and happy to acknowledge the unique contribution of our music professionals to the success of these great Canadian artists. This year, the winners spanned three categories of CIMA Members: record label, distribution and management. Multiple winners included Last Gang Records, Equator Music, Fontana North and Arts and Crafts.
Canadian Blast and our UK/EU rep., Shain Shapiro, are gearing up to take Britain and parts of Europe by storm this spring with an onslaught of great Canadian talent heading to their shores. For an update here's Shain's latest blog from canadianblast.com... Welcome to spring. We at Canadian Blast have been hibernating a bit in Europe, focused more on SXSW in Texas while preparing an assault on the entire continent in the spring, with more showcases and opportunities than we have done in previous years. This is a trait that is due to continue, as both Canadian Blast and our smaller, more boutique 'Canadian Blast Presents' brand are becoming more active and engaged in local events.
Summer is almost here! Let’s celebrate with another exciting edition of DISCOVERIES! Boy was it ever hard to cut the talent down to these four gifted young artists. People are starting to learn what a DISCOVERIES booking can do to boost their brand, and the interest is overwhelming. We are delighted to be able to continue providing a forum for that kind of buzz. The chosen artists are given an opportunity to self-promote and support their fellow performers. It is quite wonderful to see young musicians taking the initiative to get themselves seen and heard, and we are expecting these four to bring in a big audience. Tuesday, June 1st will be a night to remember. We are extremely appreciative of the opportunity Hugh’s Room has provided for these musicians and we are grateful for their ongoing support.
The website for the Radio Starmaker Fund is now back on-line and ready to accept applications. Click the more link and you will find details on changes made to our funding rules, as well as information on our next application deadline. All policy changes are on a go-forward basis. We encourage you to begin the application process as early as possible to avoid filing incomplete applications. The Manager of Programs & Applications, Jerry Leibowitz (jerryleibowitz@starmaker.ca), will be happy to help you with your questions should you need assistance. You can send him an email before you submit your application and time permitting, he will review your work and provide feedback. Once an application is submitted, it can’t be changed.
Toronto, Ontario – Wednesday April 7, 2010 - The Music Managers Forum Canada is proud to announce and welcome new President Ryhna Thompson. Ryhna is a well-known and respected artist manager (Envision Management + Production) who guides the careers of Kid Koala, Silver Starling, Sevens Project and Bell Orchestre, as well as a musician in her own right.
The Coalition for Cultural Diversity celebrates the third anniversary of the entry into force of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, on March 18, 2007. To date, the Convention has been ratified by 109 countries. On this occasion, the CCD are pleased to announce the launch of their new website: www.cdc-ccd.org.
Toronto, ON- FACTOR is pleased to announce that our new online application system will launch on April 15, 2010. Details on all of FACTOR's programs will be available on April 15, 2010 at www.factor.ca. Costs incurred between April 1 and April 30, 2010 will be considered eligible for applications received before April 30, 2010, subject to all other guidelines. Keep on checking back for more updates!
OMDC is now accepting online applications through its Online Application Portal (OAP) for the Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit (OFTTC), Ontario Production Services Tax Credit (OPSTC) and Ontario Computer Animation and Special Effects (OCASE) Tax Credit. The OAP is allowing OMDC to digitally transform the way we do business and make it easier for you, our clients, to apply for tax credits and to our programs through one secure, paperless, portal. For more information on the OAP or to register for a user training session, please visit the www.omdc.on.ca . If you have any questions regarding the OAP, please contact the OMDC at applyhelp@omdc.on.ca or (416) 642-6617.
Toronto, ON (March 3, 2010) -- QAS / SAQ, in collaboration with BookShorts, CTV Bravo, Cordova Bay Entertainment, and Greystone Books, is pleased to announce a public memorial event for our "poster boy" -- PAUL QUARRINGTON. It will take place TUESDAY, APRIL 13 at The Opera House (735 Queen St. East, Toronto, Ontario). Where the October event at International Festival of Authors was positioned as a tribute to Paul and he was there in the room; and a spontaneous event broke out at Dora Keogh on January 22 because he had just left the room **; this event will be focused on the performance of PQ's work, and presentations inspired by his work, as testament to the creative gifts - especially musical gifts -- he has given to his audiences, friends and family.
Toronto, ON- 03/19/2010- FACTOR supported artists triumphed with 16 or 76% of the Canadian awards presented at the 2010 "Indie" Awards. The awards show was held during the Canadian Music Week conference last week in Toronto. FACTOR congratulates all the artists for their incredible accomplishments at the 2010 "Indie" Awards.
The ongoing need for donations to local women's shelters has once again been highlighted by the women (and a few men) from Toronto's music industry. Continuing the success of this annual event, volunteers and friends will host the 8th Annual Panty Schmooze. This year the not-for-profit networking event is dedicated to gather donations and raise money for the Yorktown Shelter for Women. Held at the Hot House Café (35 Church Street), Monday, May 3 from 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.Tickets are available at the door for $20 each or 10 pairs of new underwear.
Toronto, ON- FACTOR supported artists shone at this year's Canadian Radio Music Awards (CRMA) taking home an impressive 5 of the 9 or 56% of the awards presented. This year's awards were held during the Canadian Music Week (CMW) festivities in Toronto last week.
Now online at http://wcmasubmit.dmds.com and commencing immediately, submissions for the BreakOut West Festival, The Western Canadian Music Awards and The Western Canadian Music Industry Awards will run until 11:00 p.m. CST Friday April 30, 2010.
Toronto, Ontario - FACTOR is pleased to announce that 68 FACTOR supported artists have received 85 nominations for the 2010 JUNO Awards. This year's award show will be on April 18, 2010 at the Mile One Centre in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.
The following artist's current sound recordings were funded by FACTOR: Alex Cuba, Alexisonfire, Amelia Curran, Amy Millan, Annie Lou, Arkells, Beast, Bell Orchestre, Classified, Cuff The Duke, Danny Fernandes, Digging Roots, Great Lake Swimmers, The Good Lovelies, Hilario Duran, Howie Beck, The Hylozoists, John Wort Hannam, Julie Doiron, Jully Black, Metric, Michael Kaeshammer, Ranee Lee, Romi Mayes, Serena Ryder, Steve Bell, Ten Second Epic, The Most Serene Republic, Thunderheist, Treasa Levasseur.

Toronto, ON (March 3, 2010) — The race for the 2010 JUNO Awards is officially on! Canada’s finest musical talents will vie head to head for the coveted JUNO Award statuette this April in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, as The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) today announced the nominees for the 2010 JUNO Awards. At a media conference held at The Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto, ON, emcee Seamus O’Regan of CTV’s CANADA AM, was joined by artists Arkells, Divine Brown and Stereos who helped to announce a few of the 39 JUNO Awards categories in total. Winners will be declared at the JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards on Saturday, April 17 to be held at the St. John’s Convention Centre, as well as at THE 2010 JUNO AWARDS broadcast on CTV on Sunday, April 18 at Mile One Centre in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Congratulations to all of our CIMA members who were nominated for JUNO's. Good luck on April 18th!

Toronto, March 1, 2010 – The organisation formerly known as the Neighbouring Rights Collective of Canada (NRCC) announced today that it has changed its name to Re:Sound Music Licensing Company.
“This is just one very visible manifestation of the transformation underway at our organisation” said Re:Sound President Ian MacKay. “The entire Re:Sound team believes passionately in the value of music. We are dedicated to making Re:Sound a name associated with fair play for musicians, efficiency and transparency.”
Re:Sound also announced today the launch of a new website (www.resound.ca). The redesigned website is intended to be much more informative and user-friendly for key stakeholder groups, including the rights holders themselves (featured artists, background musicians and record companies), as well as music users, news media and others.
Toronto,ON - It was an incredible night for FACTOR supported artists at the 2010 East Coast Music Awards (ECMA), winning an astounding 70% or 21 of the 30 awards presented. The awards gala was held at Centre 200 in Sydney, Nova Scotia on Sunday, March 7th, 2010. FACTOR funded the sound recordings of the following 5 ECMA winners: Catherine MacLellan- Water in the Ground, Classified- Self Explanatory, The Divorcees- Last of the Free Men, In-Flight Safety- We Are Empire, My Dear, The Novaks - Things Fall Apart.
NEW YORK--Free on-demand music sites haven't fared very well when it comes to driving song sales. Russ Crupnick, an analyst with market researcher NPD Group, told a crowd of music and tech executives here Wednesday that free streaming-music sites, which enable people to listen to any song at any time free of charge, lead to a 13 percent decrease in paid downloads. Speaking at the Digital Music Forum East conference, Crupnick sized up the situation this way: "We're eating our young. For some people, more listening just means more listening and tends to lead to less purchasing." By contrast, online radio services lead to a 41 percent increase in paid downloads, Crupnick said.
Mathew Ingram reported today on the demise of Dutch record label Sellaband. Although stories of recording studios struggling to pay their bills or going out of business are certainly not uncommon these days, what’s interesting about Sellaband is that this news comes less than two years after the label acquired $5 million in venture capital funding, and a few months after landing hip hop legends Public Enemy. What set Sellaband apart from other labels was it’s “crowdfunding” business model where fans would pay to “sponsor” an artist’s upcoming album which Sellaband would only produce once the artist gathered $50,000 in sponsorship. In return, fans would get a copy of the album (if the artist reached the goal) and a share in the album’s revenues.
Last week the fabulously wealthy Luke Johnson - former head of Channel 4 and the financier behind Pizza Express and owner of the Giraffe restaurants - told musicians to get on their bikes and bypass the "corporates". They could do everything DIY-style, he wrote in his Financial Times column. Well, one outfit dedicated to doing just that - Sellaband - was declared bankrupt in its home town of Amsterdam yesterday, potentially leaving a number of artists, including Public Enemy, in the lurch. Calls to Sellaband's PR company were not returned.
Canadian Business magazine, March 1, 2010 -  A crushing blow for Web pirates Copyright ruling could cost torrent site isoHunt over $150 million in damages. By Robert Thompson For someone who enjoys media attention, Gary Fung, founder of the Vancouver-based Internet torrent site isoHunt, is lying low these days. He didn’t return calls or e-mails for this story, and Fung’s Twitter feed (where he once wrote of his contempt for the justice system from a Canadian court room) hasn’t seen much action lately. Apparently, facing possible copyright infringement damages of more than US$150 million has left Fung at a loss for words.
Toronto, Ontario - FACTOR is pleased to announce that 60 FACTOR supported artists received 76 nominations for the 10th Annual Independent Music Awards. This year's award show will be held on Friday March 13, 2010 in Toronto.
Canadian Music Fest and Galaxie are proud to present the nominees for the 10th Annual Independent Music Awards, "The Indies". The event will take place on Saturday, March 13 at8:00 p.m. at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, Toronto. The Indies acknowledge, promote and honour achievements of Canadian and international artists in the independent music sector. Tickets for this event can be purchased for $20 at Ticketmaster, www.ticketmaster.ca,www.canadianmusicfest.com, www.indies.ca, Rotate This and Soundscapes. This year's performers include Desperate Union, The Rural Alberta Advantage, Plants and Animals, Great Lake Swimmers and Constantines. The show will be broadcast live to air on XM Satellite Radio's "The Verge" and recorded for future broadcast on Galaxie. Metric and Alexisonfire lead this year's Canadian nominees with four nominations apiece, followed by Phoenix with three nominations in the international categories.
Canada keeps the Olympic-paced momentum going with the 6th Annual Canadian Blast BBQ at SXSW on March 17, 2010, at Brush Square Park located right across from the Austin Convention Center. This year’s line-up includes the Born Ruffians (Ontario), You Say Party, We Say Die! (British Columbia), Hollerado (Ontario), Radio Radio (New Brunswick), Plants and Animals (Quebec) and Justin Rutledge teamed with The Beauties (Ontario) in a unique presentation on the centre stage. The event is expected to attract more than 4,000 delegates from around the world. A highlight of the annual SXSW Music and Media Conference, the Canadian Blast BBQ kicks off a multi-day extravaganza of events showcasing all the great music Canada has to offer. Canada House will be the center of this activity. Located at Upstairs at the Paradise at 6th and Trinity, the venue is in the right in the thick of SXSW action and features showcasing artists from every province and every musical style. Canada House will feature daytime industry showcases open to all SXSW badge-holders as well as nighttime official showcases for Canadian bands, open to SXSW badge-holders, wristband holders and the general public.
TORONTO – The Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC) proudly announces that it has invested $2.9 M in funding support through its Entertainment and Creative Cluster Partnerships Fund (the Partnerships Fund) to leverage an additional $7.1 M from 94 partners to support 17 innovative projects.
The Partnerships Fund was designed to help Ontario’s entertainment and creative industries invest in smart ways to grow and increase their competitive advantage in the global marketplace. The industries eligible for funding include book and magazine publishing, music, film, television, interactive digital media and commercial theatre.
“Ontario music companies must access and succeed in the international marketplace in order to prosper. The Entertainment and Creative Cluster Partnerships Fund provides the support needed to establish and expand cultural trade which ultimately benefits our musicians and Ontario music lovers. This investment will pay substantial returns for years to come for which we can thank the Government of Ontario and the OMDC.” - Duncan McKie, President and CEO Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA)
To download the full article click on the more link below...
Click the more link below to download issue NO. 301, JANUARY 2010 of the C.D. Howe Institute COMMENTARY - ECONOMIC GROWTH AND INNOVATION "Scrambled Signals: Canadian Content Policies in a World of Technological Abundance" In this issue... In the unfolding digital world, the regulations traditionally used to foster Canadian content in the broadcasting and telecommunications sector will not be viable. There are solutions.
A featured report from CBC's The National which aired on Friday, Jan.29th. The news segment discusses the tributes to Neil Young and Leonard Cohen for their special Grammy Awards as well as the Canadian Blast Showcase of Canadian Music Talent in L.A. with performances by Dan Mangan, Hey Rosetta! and K’NAAN. It includes a heartfelt speech by Leonard Cohen and an impromptu jam by fellow Canuck, Daniel Lanois and friends.
The first DISCOVERIES of 2010 will be taking place on Tuesday, February 2 at 8:30pm (doors open at 6PM). This series has become much sought-after for artists – it’s not easy to get to play in the highly regarded Hugh’s Room, and the chosen artists understand the responsibility of making sure they bring out as many people as they possibly can. For this night of new and exciting talents, the cost is a mere $13 in advance or $15 at the door. The club serves reasonably-priced food. It is advisable to call ahead for reservations - 416.531.6604. Hugh’s Room is located at 2261 Dundas Street West. www.hughsroom.com
Apple's App Store and iTunes Store aren't moneymakers. They're lures for prospective handset customers. Although Apple's online content and app marts have long been suspected of being more marketing arms than profit centers, CFO Peter Oppenheimer made that belief a certainty on Monday afternoon when speaking with analysts and reporters after announcing Apple's first-quarter financial results (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/01/25/apple_q1_2010/) for its 2010 fiscal year. "Regarding the App Store and the iTunes Store, we're running those a bit over break-even, and that hasn't changed," Oppenheimer said. "We're very excited to be providing our developers with just a fabulous opportunity, and we think that's helping us a lot with the iPhone and the iPod touch platforms."
There was a story in the New York Times last week which revealed that more than half the “bestselling” e-books on Kindle, Amazon.com’s e-reader, are available at no charge. And though some of these American titles are digital versions of out-of-copyright classics, such as Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, many are by new authors trying to make it in writing. The piece contained an interview with Maureen Johnson, the author of a young-adult novel that went to No 3 on the list after being offered free, and various arguments from industry figures in favour of giving away content. These included the hope that “customers” of free books would go on to pay for another title from the same author; the idea that free digital books can work as promotions, in the same way that free copies distributed to booksellers and reviewers create attention; and the old adage that all publicity is good publicity. If this all sounds horribly familiar, it’s because it is. The same arguments, or versions of them, have been made for years by those defending the illegal downloading of music.
Ontario Media Development Corporation is pleased to tell you that Toronto will be the Host City for the 40th anniversary JUNO Awards in 2011. The Premier made the announcement on Monday, January 25, 2010 at the Toronto Board of Trade annual dinner to a crowd of more than 1,500 local business people. Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC) is proud to be a key funder, securing the JUNO Awards for Toronto in 2011, in partnership with Tourism Toronto and the City of Toronto. Presented by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) and CTV, JUNO Week will take place March 21-27, 2011, with a week of festivities culminating in the live CTV broadcast of THE JUNO AWARDS, Sunday, March 27. JUNO Week is expected to generate an economic impact of $20 million for Ontario, bringing an influx of 5,000 people to Toronto and media and broadcast exposure of 4 million viewers.
TORONTO, JAN 19: The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) today announced its board of directors has named Eric Baptiste to serve as the organization’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), as of May 16, 2010, replacing André LeBel who announced his plans for retirement last year. Baptiste currently holds the position of CEO of the International Confederation of the Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC),the World Federation of Copyright Societies with 225 member societies in 118 countries. Among his many achievements during his 12-year career at CISAC, Baptiste raised their profile through lobbying activities in many countries, and created the successful CISAC “World Copyright Summit.” Prior to joining CISAC, Baptiste was CEO of a commercial radio station (95.2 Paris FM) serving the greater Paris area and Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Radio France International (RFI). “SOCAN is a remarkable performing rights organization, with a proud history of innovation and outstanding success throughout its 20-year history,” says Eric Baptiste. “It's a great honour to join its leadership team and have the opportunity to build on its success."
From rock to pop and urban to country, Canada’s hottest radio stars will be celebrated at the 13th Annual Canadian Radio Music Awards (CRMA) on Friday, March 12, 2010, 12:30pm. Taking place at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto as part of Canadian Music Week 2010, the awards will be handed out during a gala luncheon featuring performances by nominees Stereos, The New Cities, Arkells and Dean Brody. Leading this year’s nominees are Karl Wolf and Nickelback with three nominations apiece followed by The Midway State, Stereos, The New Cities, Classified, Drake, Melanie Fiona and Theory of a Deadman, all with two nominations.

On Monday, January 11th, SIRIUS Canada Inc., announced that it has exceeded one million paying subscribers across Canada. SIRIUS is one of the only subscription services in Canada to exceed the one million subscriber milestone after four years of operation.
Congratulations to Sirius!

Whistler, BC. - 01.08.10 - Whistler Live! is where the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games come to life with an energetic fusion of sport, art and entertainment. For 27 days, Whistler's wintery pedestrian village will pulsate from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m against the spectacular backdrop of Whistler and Blackcomb mountains. A diverse range of free and unique Whistler Live! experiences offer a dazzling taste of Whistler's iconic mountain culture.

Cheer on the athletes during CTV sport broadcasts; be moved by medals presentations; take in daily après concerts; enjoy film and photography; hear legendary tales and listen to DJs light up the nightly Fire & Ice Remix. Experience Canada's Games in the heart of Whistler Village.

Just announced, MuchMusic's own Devon Soltendieck and television personality Karou (Ru) Matsui will be Whistler Live!'s hosts throughout the 12 days of the 2010 Olympic Games.

Whistler Live! is produced in partnership with the Resort Municipality of Whistler, the Government of Canada, the Whistler Arts Council, Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC), and Cultural Olympiad 2010.

Toronto, Ontario - FACTOR is pleased to announce the addition of a new director to the FACTOR Board. Effective immediately, Rob Lanni will represent the Music Managers Forum of Canada on the FACTOR Board of Directors. The seat was previously held by Brian Hetherman.

(Sydney, NS) – Halifax singer-songwriter Joel Plaskett has earned a leading eight nominations for the 2010 East Coast Music Awards. Artist and industry award nominations were announced December 2nd at the Membertou Trade and Convention Centre for the 2010 East Coast Music Awards, Festival and Conference, to be held March 4-7 in Sydney, Nova Scotia. “This year, we received a wealth of tremendous submissions from our members, and the quality of music here on the East Coast is on full display with these nominations,” said Su Hutchinson, executive director of the East Coast Music Association. “The level of talent made for a challenging and rewarding selection process among our jurors. Congratulations to all who are nominated, immense gratitude to our jurors from the Atlantic Province and beyond, and finally to the public who continue to enjoy the fruits of our members’ labour. We look forward to announcing the winners in Cape Breton this March.” Several other artists walked away with multiple nominations, including Classified (6), In-Flight Safety (6), Amelia Curran (4), Chris Kirby (4), Caledonia (4), Jenn Grant (3), Dave Gunning (3), Catherine MacLellan (3) and The Motorleague (3).
Congratulations to all nominees represented by our CIMA members!

Montreal-based duo Beast received a Grammy nomination for its video for "Mr. Hurricane" in the Best Short Form Music Video category. Beast is a collaboration between vocalist Betty Bonifassi (DJ Champion, Triplets Of Belleville) and triple threat drummer/composer/producer Jean-Phi Goncalves. Beast's self-titled album was hailed as “One of the most strikingly original and swaggeringly bad-ass Canadian albums to rear its head in recent memory” (Toronto Star). Betty and Jean-Phi heard the news while on the final date of their European tour in Rennes, France. "We are thrilled, honoured and frankly happily surprised! Certainly weren't expecting something like this! We are on tour in Europe at the moment and this gives us a great energy booster...watch out on stage tonight! We're glad to share the excitement with Ben, Sach and Josh the amazing team who worked their butt off on this one." "Mr. Hurricane" was directed by Ben Steiger-Levine and produced by Sach Baylin-Stern. The stunning animation was done by Joshua Sherrett. Beast is in excellent company with fellow category nominees including Black Eyed Peas, Coldplay, and Depeche Mode. The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards will be held on January 31, 2010.
Toronto, ON (November 30, 2009) National Post — As with most conversations, a phone call with Sloan's Chris Murphy starts with the most inane of small-talk questions: How are you? "I'm well - but you mean, after having been hit by a car or whatever?" he says slyly. Yuk it up, but Murphy did, in fact, get run over by a car. It was this past July, so he's had some time to recover -- plus release a new EP, Hit & Run (yes, he says it's named after the accident, though not based on it) and announce a winter tour -- but he was willing to relive the horror for the purposes of this story. "I went out for the first time in a million years," begins Murphy, who's currently in "baby land" as the father of a two-year-old. After spending the night out at a downtown Toronto pub, catching up with friends and watching his Sloan bandmate Jay Ferguson DJ at the venue, Murphy hopped on his bike for the ride home. "And as soon as I get out of the door to leave, I get hit by a car."
Toronto, ON (November 30, 2009) Toronto Star — Faced with shrinking market shares, fragmenting audiences, disappearing brick-and-mortar recorded music retailers and a continued double-digit decline in compact disc sales, Canadian independent record labels that exclusively sold and distributed CDs until a few years ago are acting as agents and booking concert tours for their artists. They have formed in-house management companies, and bought ticket agencies and digital download retailers.
Toronto, Ontario, 11/16/2009 - FACTOR is pleased to announce the addition of a new member to the staff, Vice-President, Industry Affairs Brian Hetherman. Prior to being offered the position, Brian tendered his resignation from the FACTOR Board of Directors. Brian was the appointed MMF Representative on the FACTOR Board since 2007. In accepting the position it was recognized that Brian will require some time to divest himself of current management and label commitments. He is therefore starting with FACTOR part time on December 1st, 2009. April 1, 2010 he will join the FACTOR team full time.
The Department of Canadian Heritage just put on-line all the documentation essential to submit an application for financial assistance under the Music Entrepreneur Component (MEC) - Aid to Canadian Sound Recording Firms of the Canada Music Fund (CMF). The deadline to submit an application is December 17, 2009. For more information and to access the guide and application forms, please visit our web site at www.pch.gc.ca/pgm/fmusc-cmusf/VEM-MEC/index-eng.cfm or contact us at 819-934-3208 (direct access to the program) or 1-866-811-0055 (toll-free).
Shain's Blog - October 23, 2009
Well, last night was Canadian Blast at CMJ, a five band bill featuring some of the best music coming out of Canada. First, off the diversity of Canadian Blast at CMJ this year was impressive. To start, frenetic indie-surf rockers Spiral Beach opened up, giving an ADD-fueled performance of songs off their new album, The Really Only Thing. It was fast, upbeat and over the top. Check them out at a Canadian Blast Presents gig on November 24th at The Queen Of Hoxton in London. Next up was Toronto via Winnpeg MC Grand Analog and his band. Mixing reggae, pop and indie into a stew driven by positive and conscience lyrics, Grand Analog showcased himself as one of Canada’s brightest hip-hop talents. The hip-hop continued with Last Gang Records’ signed Montrealers, Let’s Go To War. Filling in for Classified, the group put together a quick set in a day and drove down to New York, just to play the showcase. The result was a electro-tinged amalgam of hip-hop, trance and drum and bass, not far off of MSTRKRFT or other contemporaries. The night ended on two completely different sides of the spectrum. First came the melodic alt-rock of Victoria’s Jets Overhead, followed the pummeling heavy metal of Montreal’s Priestess. Both are very, very good at what they did and played to packed audiences, whether it was moody and melodic or dark, double-guitar influenced rock and roll. Another success for Canadian Blast.
Toronto, October 15, 2009 – CIMA, the Canadian Independent Music Association (formerly CIRPA) is pleased to welcome City Sonic as both our first official member since our name change and also our first ever film production company to become a member. The ground breaking inscription of the partnership was announced at CIMA’s inaugural AGM on September 29th.
Popkomm celebrates two days of jazz. For the first time, Jazzkomm will run September 8-9 2010 onsite at Airport Berlin Tempelhof during Popkomm.
Charlottetown, PEI – The East Coast Music Association (ECMA) released today its economic impact statement for the 2007- 2008 time period. The results are impressive demonstrating a direct sales estimate by Atlantic-based artists and companies of approximately $1 million. In addition to the direct sales number, the total amount of in-Atlantic ECMA operating expenditures over the same two-year period is estimated at $3,725,764. The net inflow of dollars from visitors to the Atlantic region as a result of those year’s events is estimated at $490,000. In total, the combined direct impact of the ECMA represents an incredible $5,214,101.
Aug.29, 2009 - Times Online (London) - . . . that’s why we must stop illegal file sharing and give the creative industries a breathing space. It was said this week by a former colleague of mine (anonymously, of course) that I do not “get the internet”. While I am still something of a novice when it comes to streaming and downloads, I have been around long enough to know that piracy is wrong. That is why my department decided to consider strengthening proposals to tackle illegal file sharing and downloading.
Films about places where music happens... City Sonic is a series of stories about extraordinary artists shot in places where their musical lives were transformed. It's about the creative reverberations that make a music scene. Free City Sonic screenings at Yonge and Dundas Square as part of the Toronto International Film Festival will take place from September 10-19. Click the link below for specific films and times. CIMA is a partner in City Sonic a project supported by the OMDC Entertainment and Creative Cluster Partnership Fund.
CMW recently announced the Co-Chairs for Canadian Music Week 2010. They are David Corey VP Programming, CHUM Radio / Program Director, 104.5 CHUM FM Jeremy Summers VP Marketing & Promotion, Universal Music Canada Patti-Anne Tarlton VP Live Entertainment, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd Pete Watson Sr. Business Development Mgr., Research In Motion (RIM)
Jets Overhead from Victoria, British Columbia, has been added to this year’s line-up at the 5th annual Canadian Music Café, September 15th – 17th. For six years, the band of five has played for audiences in North America and Europe. Their sound is ambient/rock, their label is indie and their influences include the likes of Pink Floyd and The Velvet Underground. With a new album titled No Nations, the group is on a cross-Canada tour in support of The Dears. Jets Overhead will join performers Amy Millan, Arkells, The Duhks, Emma-Lee, Hawksley Workman, Jason Bajada, The Mountains and the Trees, Ruby Jean and the Thoughtful Bees, Saukrates, Spiral Beach, Stef Lang, Terri Clark, USS and Winter Gloves. These artists will have the opportunity to showcase their unique sounds to American and Canadian music supervisors and film industry delegates at the 34th Toronto International Film Festival. Live performances run daily at the Hard Rock Cafe, 279 Yonge Street, between 1-5 p.m.
(Toronto, ON) August 11, 2009 – The Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) announced today their 2009 inductees into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Honour: Artist – Buffy Sainte-Marie, Builder – Barry Haugen and Broadcaster - John Murphy. These inductions will take place at Country Music Week 2009 being held in Vancouver, British Columbia, September 10-13.
(Toronto, ON) August 12, 2008 – The Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) announced today the artists chosen to participate in the New Artist Showcase during Country Music Week 2009 (Sept 10-13) in Vancouver, British Columbia. They include: Shane Chisholm, Jaida Dreyer, Mike Gouchie, Heather Longstaffe, Darren McGinnis, Arlen Park, Whiskey Jane and AJ Woodworth. "We are so pleased to announce the Canadian country class of 2009," said Chair of the CCMA Board of Directors, Jackie Rae Greening. "In the past, we have seen New Artist Showcase participants like Shania Twain and Paul Brandt go on to become huge international stars, so I can’t wait to see and hear what the future has in store for the Canadian country music scene."
Toronto, August 6th, 2009 – After over 3 decades of conducting business as CIRPA, the membership of the Canadian Independent Record Production Association (CIRPA) today officially approved a change of name to the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA). “This reflects the reality of the music business today,” said Bernie Finkelstein, CIRPA Chairman, “We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those who contributed to the organization and its goals over the past 30 plus years. Certainly without the efforts of those individuals the independent music community in Canada would not have made the progress it has in Canada, not to mention the worldwide admiration earned for what has been accomplished in Canada.” As the CIRPA membership has changed the way they conduct business, adopting diverse models to commercialize music, so too has CIRPA changed its services to support them. The current emphasis on developing business and trade opportunities both within Canada and abroad is a leading theme of the new organization. “We will continue to develop services that assist our members to build their businesses in whatever way we can,” added Duncan McKie, President and CEO, “...but we will still be aware of our roots and continue to represent the interests of companies who make and distribute sound recordings. We have witnessed the beginning of the digital age and the development of a viable commercial model for Canadian music recordings is our paramount concern.” The corporate changeover will take about a month, at which time the AGM in late September will approve it and any new by-laws which will reflect a broader mandate for CIMA.
Toronto, July 27–The SOCAN Foundation (the Foundation) today announced the recipients of the 18th Annual SOCAN Foundation Awards for Young Composers. Maxime McKinley captured first prize in the Sir Ernest MacMillan Awards category and shared second and third prizes in two other categories. Aaron Gervais was awarded first prize in the Godfrey Ridout Awards and Pierre-Marc Beaudoin won first prize in the Hugh Le Caine Awards category while sharing second prize in that same category. Eight of the 15 winners are based in or currently studying in Quebec. This year’s competition attracted 212 entries from various regions throughout Canada, judged anonymously over three days in Toronto by a jury comprising distinguished composers Gary Kulesha, Vincent Ho and Martin Bédard. The annual SOCAN Foundation Awards recognize Canadian composers under 30 years of age for specific musical works in six categories of concert music.
Toronto, Ontario- 07/31/2009 - "We should be proud of what we as Canadians have created. It is unique, it is distinct and it is working." Heather Ostertag, President & CEO of FACTOR said today, in response to an announcement made in Montreal by the Department of Heritage.
A2IM is pleased to announce to the independent music label community that SoundExchange and pure play Webcasters have reached an agreement regarding performance royalties that will benefit independent labels and artists while also allowing the webcasters that give independents the most airplay and exposure the ability to grow their businesses, in which revenues independents will share.
Toronto, ON (July 7, 2009) Steve Jordan, Founder and Executive Director of the Polaris Music Prize, today revealed the Short List of 10 Canadian albums eligible for the fourth annual $20,000 award.
The Art of Managing Your Career is a resource guide, from the Cultural human Resources Council, for self-employed artists and cultural workers in live performing arts; writing and publishing; visual arts and craft; film, television and broadcasting; digital media; music and sound recording, and heritage.
A Canadian Blast! showcase will be held in New York City during CMJ 2009 (October 20-24).
HAMILTON, CANADA(June 17, 2009): September Seventh Entertainment Limited announced today that the 2009 ArcelorMittal Dofasco Hamilton Music Awards, Festival and Conference is now accepting festival applications as well as nomination submissions for the Hamilton Music Awards and Hamilton Music Industry Awards. Festival applications, award nomination submission procedures and nomination forms are available at www.hamiltonmusicawards.com. The deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. EST September 18, 2009.
Toronto, ON (June 15, 2009) The Polaris Music Prize Long List was revealed today by Steve Jordan, Prize Founder and Executive Director. This is the fourth year of the $20,000 Prize which is awarded to the best full-length Canadian album, judged solely on artistic merit, without regard to genre or record sales. This marks the second year Polaris has made the Long List public. The Long List consists of the top 40 full-length Canadian records released from June 1, 2008 to May 31, 2009, according to an initial vote by the 181 members of the Polaris Music Prize jury. The jury consists of music journalists, broadcasters and bloggers from across Canada. No music industry personnel with direct financial relationships with artists vote for Polaris.

Celebrating its fifth year this September 15th – 17th, the Canadian Music Café is the place where film and music meet, providing a platform for Canadian artists to showcase their talent. The annual event takes place at the Hard Rock Cafe during the Toronto International Film Festival and features 15 artists over three days performing for music supervisors/executives, producers, directors and media from around the world. The Canadian Music Café presents all genres of music to the decision-makers of the international film community.
Previous performers include Martha Wainwright, Thunderheist, City and Colour, Jarvis Church, Molly Johnson, Matt Dusk, The Trews, Keisha Chante, Buck 65, Chantal Kreviazuk, Ron Sexsmith, Jully Black and Steven Page (Barenaked Ladies & The Vanity Project), among others. In the past four years, the Canadian Music Café has created a stage for 60 musical acts.
This year’s submission process, exclusively through Sonicbids, opens Friday, June 12th at 12:00 noon ET and closes Friday, June 26th at 5:00 p.m. ET. Artists and bands interested in performing at this year’s event, please visit www.sonicbids.com/canadianmusiccafe for information.
The Canadian Music Café, an initiative developed by the Canadian music industry, is presented by Radio Starmaker Fund and is collaboratively produced by the Canadian Independent Record Production Association (CIRPA), the Canadian Music Publishers Association (CMPA), the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA), the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN), and in partnership with the Toronto International Film Festival.

Hong Kong, (June 4, 2009) Winnipeg's Waking Eyes, managed by Coalition Entertainment, was the highlight of the night for the wall-to-wall crowd in Hong Kong's coolest downtown entertainment district Lan Kwai Fong. LKF attracts the young and hip in Hong Kong, which has clearly become the centre of the Asia-Pacific entertainment industry over the past few years.
It has come to our attention that you could be in for a tough time if you are playing in the UK and you don’t also complete the new Certificate of Sponsorship requirements of the UK Home Office. Click the link below to read an article about a Canadian artist who recently was denied entry into the UK. We have also provided a link to the UK government pages that explain this new procedure. Our Toronto Consular officer (Jamil Malik) has also provided a link to Temporary Worker Entry Clearance. The Certificate of Sponsorship is a 'virtual' requirement and part of the overall Clearance document that has to be in place to allow for entry into the UK.
TORONTO, ON (Monday, May 25, 2009) Steve Jordan, Executive Director of the Polaris Music Prize, today announced SIRIUS Satellite Radio Canada as the new presenting sponsor for the 2009 Polaris Music Prize. SIRIUS has been a supporting sponsor of Polaris since 2007 and has broadcast the event live to a North American audience on satellite radio for the past two years.
The Polaris Music Prize awards $20,000 to the artist who creates the Canadian album of the year. It is judged solely on artistic merit, without consideration of genre or record sales. Past winners have been Final Fantasy for He Poos Clouds (2006), Patrick Watson for Close To Paradise (2007) and Caribou for Andorra (2008).
Jordan also revealed the key dates for the coveted award’s 4th annual celebration. The Long List of 40 titles, which is sponsored by The Canada Council for the Arts, will be announced June 15. The Short List of 10 nominees will be revealed at a July 7 media conference at The Drake Hotel in Toronto. This year’s gala will be held on Monday, September 21 at a Toronto location to be announced.

UK Magazine Q has just named Toronto’s Woodhands (Paper Bag Records) and Edmonton’s Shout Out Out Out Out (Six Shooter Records) as two of the “10 Best New Bands On Earth” in their latest issue.

Legendary label owner Simon Reymond of Bella Union describes the Woodhands as, "Potentially huge. The singer plays a keytar and looks like a deranged Elvis Costello. Their MySpace has a brilliant version of 'Electric Avenue', and they did a killer cover of 'I Kissed A Girl.'"

"Vocoder-based, no-hold-barred, arms-in-the air disco-funk-techno-electro," says Phil Heyes, director of DirecTV's SXSW coverage, about Shout Out Out Out Out. "Not a single person could keep still. Even in the Portaloo queue people were dancing."

Top music experts picked these bands from this years’ line-up at SXSW in Austin, Texas. Pick up the magazine on news stands now.

The Canadian Music Week 2009 Global Forum was a workshop attended by some of the world’s leading music industry thinkers, who gathered for a dynamic morning of discussion to explore issues surrounding the role of ISPs, the legalities of music downloading, international copyright reform and the role of consumers, and the business of producing, distributing and listening to music. This is the third consecutive year for the Global Forum event, and was – in the growing tradition of this event - compelling and certainly not short on controversy. The theme for the 2009 Global Forum was "Internet Governance: Who is responsible for what and who should pay for what?"

NXNE (NORTH BY NORTHEAST) has announced its lineup for the 15th edition of the festival, taking over Toronto from June 17 - 21, 2009. Full details are now available at www.nxne.com. Check the site often; there's new information being added regularly. MYNXNE is a unique online feature activated to coincide with the lineup announcement. Fans can log on, listen to MP3s from NXNE bands, choose the shows they want to see, and create a schedule for themselves. There's no need to miss anything because of a misread schedule! Find it at www.nxne.com. NXNE will be taking over Toronto with live performances, films, and conference sessions in neighbourhoods all over the city. The hub of this invasion is Yonge-Dundas Square, where a huge shot of adrenaline will slam straight into the heart of downtown with four days of free concerts on the NXNE Mainstage, featuring performances by Black Lips, Burning Brides, Wintersleep, The Sonics, Youth Brigade, The Cool Kids, GZA and more.

The Hon. Aileen Carroll, Minister of Culture, in a speech before the Economic Club of Canada on April 30, announced that the Entertainment and Creative Cluster Partnerships Fund will be renewed with a $12 million investment over the next four years. OMDC co-administers the Partnerships Fund with the Ministry of Culture.
The Board of Directors of Sask Music is pleased to announce the appointment of John-Paul Ellson as the new Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel of Sask Music. Mr. Ellson has been working since March as their Interim Executive Director. Mr. Ellson brings a great deal of history and experience to this position. He was a member of the Sask Music Board of Directors for many years and was President in 1995 - 2001. He is the current chair of the FACTOR National Advisory Board, is a past chair of the WCMA’s, and was a local producer for the JUNO Awards, WCMAs and the CCMAs in 2007.
The stage is being set for an all-star line-up at the 2009 Canadian Country Music Awards to be held Sunday, September 13 at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) announced today that the 2008 Male Artist of the Year, Johnny Reid, top 2008 trophy winners, Doc Walker and multiple CCMA Award winner and international success story, Terri Clark will be performing on this year’s broadcast.
Great Lake Swimmers continue to reach new heights as their latest album, Lost Channels, debuts at #10 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart in America and #48 on Canada’s Top 200 Album Chart today. The album is also drawing impressive numbers on iTunes, currently sitting at #1 in Canada and #5 in America on the Singer/Songwriter Charts. With the band’s US tour in full swing, they continue to garner ongoing critical praise, radio support and massive blog buzz.
As more and more of our members' acts are touring abroad, especially in Europe, we are happy to say that a Canadian expat living in Britain and working the music industry has agreed to help them out. Shain Shapiro as some of you might remember, was a volunteer at Popkomm last year, and really impressed us with his knowledge of the Canadian scene and the acts that were touring in Europe and Britain. He is a music journalist, and has recently worked for an independent label. You can contact him through us or directly. He has a fee structure for advanced services, but is certainly willing to answer your incidental questions about the market. You can visit his website at www.shainhouse.com and email him at shain@cirpa.ca.
Canadian Music Week (CMW) is the official meeting ground for those who truly shape the future of the music, entertainment and broadcast industries. Industry leaders from around the world will converge March 11 - 14, 2009 in Toronto to tackle the hottest issues facing the music business today.
The artists and bands have been selected! inDiscover.net is proud to reveal the nominees for the 9th Annual Independent Music Awards, “The Indies”. The event will take place on Saturday, March 14, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, Toronto. The Indies acknowledge, promote and honour achievements of Canadian and international artists in the independent music sector. Tickets for this event can be purchased for $35, at www.cmw.net or by calling 905.858.4747.
"When you've got a new album coming out and lots of people suspect you're the next big thing, there's barely a moment's rest..." quotes the Toronto Star's Ben Rayner of Six Shooter artist Jenn Grant. Jenn is peforming tonight at the Showcase and Celebration of Canadian Music Excellence on the occasion of the 51st Annual GRAMMY Awards(R) presented by SIRIUS Satellite Radio. Also performing there are Shad and Plants and Animals. To read the full Toronto Star article on Jenn Grant click the more link below.
February 4, 2009 - Toronto, ON- The Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTOR) along with the Department of Canadian Heritage and Canada's private radio broadcasters would like to congratulate the following 84 FACTOR supported artists on their 2009 JUNO nomination(s)! The 84 artists listed below have been nominated for a total of 100 awards at this years' JUNO Award's being held in Vancouver, BC on Sunday March 29, 2009.
(Billboard.biz, London - Dec. 11, 2008) - U.K. culture secretary Andy Burnham is recommending a 20-year increase in copyright term to 70 years. His comments at the U.K. Music Creators' Conference, held at London’s ICA, represent a new position for the British government on copyright. The 2006 Gowers report commissioned by the Treasury recommended maintaining the current 50-year term.
The Hon. Aileen Carroll, Minister of Culture, announced the investment of $3.3 million from Ontario’s Entertainment and Creative Cluster Partnerships Fund in 16 innovative initiatives. The recipients and their projects were announced at a news conference held on November 26, 2008 at the Ontario Trade & Investment Centre.
The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF) announced December 9th that Peter Steinmetz has come to the end of his term as Chairman of the CSHF and will be stepping down. During his tenure, both as pro bono legal counsel since the creation of the CSHF and in recent years as Chairman of the board of directors, Peter drew upon his invaluable expertise as one of Canada's leading entertainment lawyers and his sixteen years' experience with CARAS, first as pro bono legal counsel and for ten years as CARAS President and Executive Producer of the Juno Awards (1983-1992), to help develop and shape the CSHF into the rare, truly bilingual and relevant cultural organization it is today.
Toronto, ON, December 11, 2008 – The Board of Directors announced today the appointment of Ian MacKay as President of the Neighbouring Rights Collective of Canada (NRCC). "The Board of Directors is delighted that Ian MacKay will be leading and growing the NRCC. Ian possesses a unique combination of vision, experience in broad-based entertainment initiatives, and an impressive record of innovative, business building accomplishments. We are particularly excited about his energy, commitment to our mission, and his history of delivering on new and innovative business practices," said Brad Keenan, Chair of the Board of Directors.
Telefilm Canada has been found liable in a judgement in the Superior Court of Quebec, and has been ordered to pay up to $1.3 million in damages ($900,000 plus interest) to 3 record companies in Quebec. The recipients include Disques Atlantis ($313,000), Productions M.P.V. ($526,000) and Disques Artiste ($22,000). This stems from a complaint that the administrators of the MEP program at that time mislead these companies into believing they would receive support for projects, and then none was forthcoming once the projects were assessed internally. The companies had, prior to being turned down and on the assumption that the support was "in the bag" to quote the story, spent considerably on these projects. From the story in La Presse, "...the federal company (Telefilm) was not prudent in misleading the candidate companies with respect to their chances for success." The decision may be appealed.
Ottawa. The Copyright Board of Canada issued today a decision on private copying levies for the years 2008 and 2009. The decision maintains the rate for audiocassettes at 24¢, and increases the rate for all CDs to 29¢. Since 2001, the certified rate for CDs had been 21¢.
The Ontario Council of Folk Festivals (OCFF) has awarded this year’s Estelle Klein Award to Bernie Finkelstein, a pioneer in Canadian music. The award will be presented at the 22nd annual OCFF conference in Ottawa from October 23-26, 2008. The annual award is named after Estelle Klein, a long-time advocate of Canadian Folk music and one of the early founders of the Folk festival scene in this country. Each year, the OCFF honours the work of an individual who has made significant contributions to Ontario’s Folk music community. Congratulations to our CIRPA Chair!
Lala, a digital music service that has experimented with several unique business models in the past, relaunched again this week with a new strategy that has won the backing and content of all four major labels as well as a host of independents. Like its past efforts, the company aims to let users stream full songs with the intent of upselling them to buying full songs and albums. But instead of creating a free experience supported by advertising, Lala is trying something that’s never been done before. For the first time, the labels have licensed their music as a virtual product that involves no file transfer or usage-based stream. In essence, users are buying permanent rights to a song rather than buying an actual file.
On October 22, 2008, Chart Communications Inc., publisher of CHART Magazine, is pleased to announce the relaunch of its website, CHARTattack.com. Veterans of the music industry can speak to the rapid evolution that has taken place online within the entertainment landscape since the mid-1990s. The shift from static content to participatory social media such as forums, blogs, tagging, photo-sharing, social-networking, news aggregation, mobile tools, etc, has provided an opportunity for Chart to build a platform which invites engagement with its readership.
Toronto. October 22, 2008. Executive Director of Cultural Careers Council Ontario, Robert (Bob) Johnston has announced that, after 10 years in the position, he will retire as of August 31, 2009. Cultural Careers Council Ontario is a leading arts service organization that promotes and supports employment and professional development in the arts and culture sector through research, training, and addressing human resource issues. A succession task force has been struck. Interested parties are encouraged to check the CCCO website www.workinculture.ca for the job posting.
2008 Hamilton Music Award nominees and festival headliners were announced October 14th by Hamilton Music Awards Director, Jean-Paul Gauthier. Gauthier stated, “This year’s Hamilton Music Awards show and festival features some of Hamilton’s finest musical gems.” Gauthier added, “Many of this year’s nominees are succeeding internationally.” The 2008 Hamilton Music Awards which will be hosted by Tom Wilson and Patrick McKenna (Traders, Red Green) at Hamilton Place on November 16th includes 143 nominations in 32 categories. Multiple nominees include: Daniel Lanois (6), Kathleen Edwards (5), Brian Melo (5), Simply Saucer (4), Luke Doucet (4), Teenage Head (3), Queen Cee (3), Out to Lunch (3), Fred J Eaglesmith (3), Derek Miller (3), Danny Lockwood(3), Chantal Chamberland (3), Tim Gibbons(2), Saint Alvia(2), Rita Chiarelli (2), Rae Billing (2), John Ellison (2), Jace Martin (2), Holy Fuck (2), Garnet Rogers (2), David Braid (2), Cowlick(2), and Afternoons In Stereo(2).
Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC) invested over $600,000 in Ontario's music sector through its Music Fund and Export Fund and by supporting strategic initiatives for Ontario independent music labels' and publishers' trade organization since April 1, 2008 to date.
The International Songwriting Competition has extended its submission deadline, so if you haven't already entered, you still have a chance. If you've already entered and want to submit additional songs, you still have the opportunity to do so. This is the FINAL deadline. There will be no further extension. All entries must be posted on or before December 1, 2008. ISC will continue to take online entries, as well as entries through the mail; the online submission platform will be open until 11:59 p.m. EST, December 1. There are many different ways to enter ISC. You can enter by mail, online, or by MySpace. Pick the way that works best for you! To enter go to www.songwritingcompetition.com or www.myspace.com/isc.
CIRPA, in partnership with Pop Montreal and the Government of Canada, hosted an Industry Mixer on October 2nd during Pop Montreal. The Mixer served as a meeting point where participating international delegates from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, France, Germany, Norway, Spain and the USA could mingle with Canadian music company reps.
On the eve of their second trip to Tokyo, Canadian music companies continue to show leadership in developing new export markets, despite the numerous challenges facing the industry. In November, 24 Canadian music executives will set up shop in the Canadian Embassy for a week to host Japanese and Asian delegates from seven countries across the region. The Japanese music market was valued at $5 billion in 2007, with Canadian artist Avril Lavigne being the most sold import.
19 Canadian Music Companies and Nine Canadian Artists Showcase for Japanese and Pan-Asian Music Industry
CIRPA has confirmed 16 companies for the second Canadian Music Mission to Tokyo , November 10 - 14, 2008.
The 4th Annual Canadian Music Café is proud to announce the 15 Canadian artists who will perform at the Café. These unique and diverse Canadian acts will showcase their innovative sounds to the film and television industry at the 33rd Toronto International Film Festival.
Toronto, ON (August 19, 2008) National Post – He admires British painters Lucian Freud and Stanley Spencer. He has called for a moratorium on cuts to the arts in his own country. He wants to keep British museums free of admission fees. And he thinks the recent fuss over federal arts funding in Canada could have been avoided if the programs in question were protected from political interference.
Toronto, ON (August 19, 2008) National Post – The Harper Conservatives are running through every tactic in the political playbook in their stealthy campaign to axe arts funding.
Toronto, ON (August 19, 2008) Broadcaster Magazine – The Directors Guild of Canada has written the Minister of Canadian Heritage and the Minister of Foreign Affairs to protest the recent abolition of two international cultural promotion programs, Trade Routes and PromArt, designed to assist the arts and the cultural industries gain access to foreign markets.
See the Globe and Mail Cartoonists' take on the federal budget cuts.
Toronto, ON (August 18, 2008) Globe and Mail – Canada's filmmakers, musicians, writers and visual artists have ample reason to be worried about their future… The behaviour of the federal government on the arts file has been disturbing, and it needs to immediately set the record straight on why artists across the country have been told to look elsewhere for support.
Toronto, ON (August 18, 2008) Toronto Star – The Harper Conservatives are running through every tactic in the political playbook in their stealthy campaign to axe arts funding.
Toronto, ON (August 15, 2008) National Post – In the absence of explanations from the federal government about its recent cutbacks to the cultural sector, the shock and anger of stakeholders and opposition parties is rushing in to fill the dead air.
Montreal, QC (August 15, 2008) The Gazette - For a country, this is cutting off your nose to spite your face. Two-year-olds, teenagers and irrational adults might indulge in pointless self-destruction, but governments are not supposed to jeopardize entire economic sectors no matter how angry they are that someone they don't like qualified for a grant. A less ideologically driven government would know that Canada's $84.6-billion cultural sector, with its million-plus workers, should be encouraged and promoted at home and internationally.
Toronto, ON (August 15, 2008) Globe and Mail commentary – Why has the federal government declared a war on talent? The recent cancellations of the PromArt and Trade Routes programs, which supported touring Canadian artists and the export of cultural goods, are the latest federal salvoes against the artistic community. These attacks will impede our artists, but could also damage the broader economy.
Toronto, ON (August 15, 2008) Globe and Mail – The Department of Canadian Heritage has decided to cut five more arts and culture programs over the next two years, even as a chorus of complaints from the arts community and opposition MPs rains down on the federal government over cuts announced last week.
Toronto, ON (August 15, 2008) National Post – The country's arts sector fears the Conservatives are prepared to slash $50-million in cultural funding after discovering new cuts to federal arts programs.
Canada (August 13, 2008) CBC News – East Coast music promoters say federal funding cuts to arts and cultural programs could be the death knell to the local music industry.
Toronto, ON (August 14, 2008) Toronto Star editorial – The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the Canadian Museum of Civilization and Toronto-based baroque orchestra Tafelmusik are hardly known as hotbeds of left-wing radicalism … Yet the Conservative government is spinning its recent decision to axe PromArt – a $4.7 million program that helped promote Canadian culture abroad – as a way to stop subsidizing the frivolous wanderings of well-heeled activists and dilettantes.
Vancouver, BC (August 13, 2008) Press Release from Music BC - Bob D’Eith, Executive Director of Music BC states, “The present federal government is obviously not doing its research into the success of the programs that are being cut. In our experience the cultural export programs have been highly successful in generating international deals for export ready Canadian artists. In fact, the relatively small investment in these programs has lead to disproportionately large return on investment.
PEI (August 13, 2008) Press Release from The East Coast Music Association - The ECMA International Program which recruits annually up to 40 International delegates to ECMA weekend, is crucial in providing exporting opportunities for Atlantic Canadian artists and relies heavily on the support of these funding programs.
Toronto, ON (August 14, 2008) Exclaim.ca – Holy Fuck bassist Matt McQuaid realized how the band’s name could make them an easy target but said, considering they were nominated for this year’s $20,000 Polaris Prize and other awards, he doesn’t understand how supporters of the cuts could say they and other artists aren’t mainstream enough.
Toronto, ON (August 14, 2008) Toronto Star Letter to the Editor – The Ontario Minister of Culture speaks out against the recent cuts.
Toronto, ON (August 13, 2008) National Post - The government’s plan to kneecap freeloading leftwingers is proving somewhat more intriguing than originally appeared.
Toronto, ON (August 14, 2008) Toronto Sun – Orchestra, rock group -- even film festival --threatened by federal funding cuts.
Toronto, ON (August 13, 2008) CDA Press Release - The Canadian Dance Assembly strongly objects to the Conservative government’s recent decision to end two key cultural funding programs, a decision which undermines the promotion of Canadian art and culture to the world, and directly contradicts the government’s avowed commitment to support the competitive export of Canadian products.
Toronto, ON (August 12, 2008) Press Release from The Writer’s Union of Canada - "At a time when Canadian art, music and literature are finally making huge inroads in the world outside our borders," says Grady, "when Canadian artists, musicians and writers are being invited to participate in more international conferences and festivals than ever before, government cuts to arts funding are making it harder and harder for Canadian creators to appear before their new, expanding audiences."
Quebec City, QC (August 13, 2008) le Soleil– “Les conservateurs mettent en péril le rayonnement de la culture”
Montreal, QC (August 13, 2008) Le Devoir – “Programmes culturels supprimés - Québec emboîte le pas aux artistes”
Vancouver, BC (August 11, 2008) Press Release from the Office of Hon. Hedy Fry, chair of the Federal Liberal Caucus Sub-Committee on Arts and Culture.
A letter sent to Duncan in support of CIRPA's quick response to the budget cuts: "I send you my whole hearted thanks and appreciation for your (Cirpa's) articulate response to the lunacy of DFAIT and Trade Routes budget cuts. Last year three of the artists on my roster were able to travel to India, China, and Romania- all DFAIT proiority countries; all good markets for their genres."
Toronto, ON (August 2008) Globe and Mail Letters - The following are Globe and Mail Letters to the Editor in response to the recent Federal cultural program cuts.
Toronto, ON (August 12, 2008) Globe and Mail – Author and journalist Gwynne Dyer, who became a poster boy for wasteful federal spending when the Tories axed a program to send arts and culture abroad, says he travelled at the government's request and never applied for the grant he got.
Toronto, ON (August 11, 2008) Globe and Mail – Trade Routes, a $9-million program funding Hot Docs and other initiatives, ends in what critic calls a 'stupid' and 'provocative' choice.
Toronto, ON (August 11, 2008) Billboard.biz – Cuts to a federal Canadian government funding program will hurt the ability of Canadian musicians to make contacts outside of the country, according to the head of the country's independent labels.
Montreal, QC (August 12, 2008) La Presse – “Fuck (encore)”
Vancouver, BC (August 11, 2008) Straight.com – Just days after news broke that the federal government is axing the $4.7-million PromArt program, which provides cultural travel grants through the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, comes word that yet another cultural grant program is getting the hook.
New Brunswick (August 12, 2008) The Bruce Report - If the programs are being mismanaged, then either issue new guidelines or remove the civil servants who are guilty of wasting tax dollars on demonstrably spurious projects… Don’t eliminate, with a pen stroke, nearly $14 million of badly needed funding for hundreds, even thousands of outward-bound artists across the country. Don’t compromise the nation’s ability to build international markets for its cultural products, and burnish its image as a vibrant, creative, open and prosperous land.
Toronto, ON (August 11, 2008) "As It Happens" CBC Radio One - An Interview with CIRPA President and CEO, Duncan McKie discussing the recent Federal budget cuts to cultural programs.
Toronto, ON (August 12, 2008) National Post Editorial by Al Mair - As one of the individuals named in your article, I believe it is necessary to clarify the $4,200 grant I received from PromArt group. Canada's most successful cultural export is music. I was invited by the embassy in Helsinki to speak at a seminar organized to increase cultural exports between Finland, the Scandinavian countries and Canada.
Toronto, ON (August 12, 2008) Toronto Star - The Conservative government's decision to axe two funds that support Canadian arts and culture will have a devastating impact both locally and internationally, including heavy hitters like the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and the Hot Docs Festival, artists and advocates say.
Toronto, ON (August 11, 2008) Eye Weekly - Tal Bachman was invited to serve as a musical ambassador for Canada in South Africa and Zimbabwe in spring 2005, a trip subsidized by a $16,500 grant from the International Cultural Relations Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs. Now, he’s been lumped in with Gwynne Dyer, Avi Lewis and Holy Fuck as undeserving recipients of federal grants through the $4.7 million PromArt program…
See the Globe and Mail Cartoonists' take on the federal budget cuts.
Ottawa, ON (August 8, 2008) The Canadian Press - The Conservative government has announced it will no longer fund a federal program that subsidizes international promotional tours of Canadian artists...They attempted to play down reports that claimed the decision was motivated by ideological differences with many of the recipients.
Toronto, ON (August 11, 2008) Globe and Mail Press Release - Cultural exchange is an aspect of diplomacy, and Ottawa's decision to axe a small, $4.7-million program that sent artists abroad suggests that the Conservative government doesn't understand why that is the case.
Toronto, ON (August 11, 2008) Globe and Mail Editorial - Last Friday, it all became depressingly clear when DFAIT announced it was cutting all ties to culture by axing its PromArt program, a $4.7-million annual fund that sent artists into the world to speak for Canada...On Thursday, a government official leaked the story to a reporter by explaining the program had funded mainly political radicals and others it deemed naughty: the former CBC pundit and current Al-Jazeera contributor Avi Lewis, the journalist Gwynne Dyer, and a Toronto rock band known as Holy Fuck.
Edmonton, AB (August 10, 2008) Edmonton Journal Press Release - In the developed world, the only country that does not engage in cultural diplomacy is Canada. Shortly after the Conservative Party of Canada won its minority government in 2006, Prime Minister Harper dismantled the already-measly $25-million cultural diplomacy program. Under the Liberals, Canada was already spending the least, per capita, among the G8 countries.
Toronto, ON (August 9, 2008) On Friday, August 8th, the Federal government announced cuts to two significant programs that support cultural exports: the ProMart (Arts Promotion) program administered by DFAIT and the Trade Routes Program run by the Department of Canadian Heritage. Both of these programs supported Canadian musicians and music export companies and organizations.
Connections and Creativity : A vision for the arts and the people of Ontario, the Ontario Arts Council's new strategic plan for the next five years is available on the OAC website.
The Board of Directors of the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) announced the nominees for the 2008 Canadian Country Music Awards on July 30th. Newcomer Jessie Farrell leads the nominations with a total of seven, including Single of the Year, Album of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, CMT Video of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Top New Talent of the Year – Female and her previously announced nomination for Fans’ Choice. She is also joining the already stellar line-up of stars scheduled to perform on the CCMA Awards. Congratulations to all the nominees!
The Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTOR) along with the Department of Canadian Heritage and Canada’s private radio broadcasters would like to congratulate the following 20 FACTOR supported artists on their 2008 Canadian Country Music Award (CCMA) nomination(s). The 20 artists listed below have been nominated for a total of 48 awards at this years’ CCMA’s being held in Winnipeg Manitoba on Monday September 8, 2008.
The Canadian Music Café at the Toronto International Film Festival® is the ultimate media crossroad where visual media decision-makers can interact with Canadian songwriters, managers and labels.
The Quebec Superior Court has today ordered closed the Quebectorrent site that was distributing unauthorized material (mostly from French Independents). The links below are to the decision in French and English and the ADISQ press release in French only.
Steve Jordan, Founder and Executive Director of the Polaris Music Prize, revealed the Short List of 10 Canadian albums eligible for the third annual $20,000 award. The Polaris Music Prize 2008 winner will be decided by 11 selected Polaris jurors and announced at an exclusive gala concert event in Toronto at the Phoenix Concert Theatre on September 29, 2008.
The 4th annual Canadian Music Café, presented in partnership with The Toronto International Film Festival® September 9 - 11, 2008 in Toronto, is now accepting submissions through Sonicbids.
On August 1, 2008, EMI will assume fulfillment responsibilities related to Fusion's new release and catalogue business in both physical and digital product offerings throughout Canada.
CIRPA is making a call for applications. This is a contracted five-month, part-time position commencing immediately and ending November 30, 2008.
The Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Kat Salvador as the new Executive Director of the Association.
The recent Annual General Meeting of FACTOR saw the departure of three members of the Board of Directors. Specifically, Ric Arboit from Nettwerk, Brian Depoe of Astral Media Radio and Jim West from Distribution Fusion III. Newly appointed Directors were Aubrey Winfield of Orange Records Inc., Drew Keith from Astral Media Radio and Grant Dexter of Maple Music. Other changes to the Board include Pegi Cecconi as Chair, Nicole Jolly as Vice-Chair, Brian Hetherman as Secretary and Chris Lecomte as Treasurer. FACTOR is proud to have such accomplished individuals on their Board of Directors and looks forward to their contributions in the coming year. A special congratulations to Grant Dexter for being elected as CIRPA’s FACTOR Board representative.
At its Annual General Meeting on Friday June 20 in Ottawa, CHRC officially elected its 2008/2009 Board of Directors which includes respresentatives of employer and worker organizations in eight sub sectors and cultural industries. CHRC also re-appointed Barbara Nepinak as a Director to speak on behalf of aboriginal artists and cultural workers. In particular, CHRC is pleased and proud to welcome to its ranks as new Board members Francis Baillet, Doug Broadfoot, Kathleen de Long, Kevin Hanson, Duncan McKie, Peter Murdoch, Brady Schmidt, Susanne Vaas and Lucy White.
The Polaris Music Prize Long List was revealed today by Steve Jordan, Prize Founder and Executive Director. This is the third year of the $20,000 Prize which is awarded to the best full-length Canadian album, judged solely on artistic merit, without regard to genre or record sales. This marks the first year Polaris has made the Long List public. The Long List consists of the top 40 full-length Canadian records released from June 1, 2007 to May 31, 2008, according to an initial vote by the 185 members of the Polaris Music Prize jury. The jury consists of music journalists, broadcasters and bloggers from across Canada. No music industry personnel with direct financial relationships with artists vote for Polaris.
A broad coalition of Canadian creator and music industry organizations today applauded the introduction of copyright reform legislation by the federal government. The eight groups, which represent approximately 21,000 professional performers and 15,000 musicians in Canada, Canadian artist managers, music publishers, music retailers, manufacturers, distributors and retailers of musical instruments, and record labels of all sizes, jointly thanked the government for recognizing the need for copyright reforms.
Many of you have asked us where and when we will be putting together outbound and local programs either CIRPA managed or in partnership with others this Fall. There are four major events that you may wish to note for your calendars (with dates). We will be circulating more information on these as we move forward, including how you can apply, showcase information and so on. Please watch your inboxes for more information and visit our website frequently for upcoming dates.
We are pleased to announce that 16 companies have signed up with the Canada Stand at London Calling 2008, June 19-20th at Earl’s Court, England. London Calling is the UK's premier international music business event. In addition to the trade show, 6 Canadian Acts have also been selected to perform at the Canadian Blast Showcase on June 19th at the Borderline Club in London
FACTOR has placed a "no tolerance" rule around supporting documentation being sent in later than when an application is received. President and CEO of FACTOR, Heather Ostertag says the intention of the crack-down is not to be nasty but to be fair to other applicants. FACTOR's new General Manager, Erin Kinghorn agrees and encourages all applicants to read the application thoroughly and to start the application process early.
TORONTO, April 17 /CNW/ - The 2008 JUNO Awards did more than just spotlight Canada's musical talent and rock out with stellar TV ratings – it increased CD sales as well. The JUNO Effect: Feist Sees 153% Bump in Sales and Jully Black jumps 57% as The 2008 JUNO Awards performers bask in post-broadcast sales glow.
Way to go Canadian Songwriters! Check out the link below to read a letter to CIRPA about the success of Canadian Songwriters at the ISC 2007.
Congratulations to all our members who won or were nominated for Junos this past weekend. A special congrat's goes to multiple award winners Feist (Jeffrey Remedios and his team at Arts & Crafts) and Blue Rodeo (Manager, Susan de Cartier and her team at Starfish Entertainment). We would also like to congratulate Wintersleep (Label: Tim Potocic and his team at Labwork & Manager: Louis Thomas of Sonic Entertainment).
Profiling CIRPA Member company Labwork and their Juno winning artist, Wintersleep.
Toronto, ON (February 29, 2008) - The Canadian Independent Record Production Association (CIRPA) notes that the CRTC has released its study of New and Emerging radio play, “Emerging Canadian Artists on Commercial Radio.”
Toronto, ON (February 25, 2007) The Canadian Independent Record Production Association (CIRPA) announces the acts that have been selected to represent the Canadian music scene at the Canadian Blast BBQ at this year’s edition of SXSW in Austin.
This is the press release and decision of the Copyright Board in the 1A Re-determination. The Board maintained the 40% increase that was achieved in 2005. Radio stations have one year within which to repay the higher royalty rate owed for previous years.
The Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTOR) inadvertently forgot to publish a deadline for the Domestic and International Business Development support program for the end of January.
Independent Canadian producers are being ignored in the debate on Copyright reform, as anti-reform groups try to steer the agenda.
Montreal’s Patrick Watson has been selected as winner of the second annual Polaris Music Prize in a gala ceremony held tonight at Toronto’s Phoenix Concert Theatre.
The Canadian Catalogue of Instrumental Music (CCIM) is pleased to announce that it has signed a deal to obtain access to the instrumental music portion of the Canadian Music Industry Database.
Cannes, France (January 20, 2008) - Today, the world’s independent record sector launched Merlin, the world’s first global music new media licensing agency, with the message: “Equitable deals for ALL independents"
TORONTO, ON (December 15, 2006) - CIRPA is pleased that in today’s decision the Commission has increased the level of Canadian content for jazz and classical formats. It is much less pleased that there has been no increase in the general level of Canadian content.
On November 13th at Hugh’s Room in Toronto, the music industry gathered to celebrate Brian Chater’s retirement from CIRPA.
2006 looks to be Canada’s year at America’s largest annual music industry event.
A day of workshops, seminars and panel discussions aimed at strengthening the business skills of the Canadian independent sound recording sector
The Canadian Independent Record Production Association today announced the creation of a new Friends of CIRPA Affiliate Membership category.
An appeal of the European Commission‘s approval of the merger between Sony Music and Bertelsmann’s BMG was heard on September 22nd.
Various peer-to-peer file-sharing networks are believed to be in preliminary settlement discussions with the RIAA.
According to 2005 first-half figures released by the Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA), overall sales of recorded music, including DVDs, fell 7.54 percent to 22.7 million units over the same period last year.
Alt-metal band Korn has entered into a contract with record label EMI Music that gives the label a cut of the band’s income from all revenue streams, not just from the sale of recorded music.
Apple Computer Inc. introduced two new products this week.
The operators of the KaZaA file-sharing network and its partners were found guilty by an Australian court.
A recent survey concludes that few Canadians would actually subscribe to satellite radio.
Bell Canada, in association with Universal Music Canada, has launched an exclusive music initiative called Live @ The Orange Lounge that features Universal Music artists.
Warner Music Group is developing a music distribution “mechanism” that will allow artists to release songs in groups of three or four every few months for digital downloading only.
Playlouder is an Internet Service Provider (ISP) in the U.K. that has created a legal alternative for sharing copyright-protected music over the Internet.
Market research firm NPD Group reports that sales of MP3 players more than tripled in Canada.
IMPALA, the European independent labels association, has successfully convinced the European Court of First Instance to hear its appeal of the Sony BMG merger.
CIRPA, joined by a coalition of culture and labour groups, files notice of appeal in satellite radio decisions.
The International Federation of Phonographic Industries (IFPI) has published its 12th annual review of international music industry statistics.
The Supreme Court of Canada refused to hear an appeal by the Canadian Private Copying Collective (CPCC) to re-instate a levy on portable digital music players.
Major record label Sony BMG has admitted some of its employees had paid radio stations and offered bribes in exchange for airplay.
A singer-songwriter from India named Shayan has raised money for his debut album by selling shares in his future royalties on eBay.
Apple Computer Inc. announced its best revenue and earnings in its history with the release of its third quarter results.
The Australian Federal Court in Sydney found five respondents guilty of copyright infringement.
The latest single from Canadian artist Fefe Dobson is being sold as an exclusive download from Rogers Wireless.
Virgin Entertainment Group Inc. will close its only Canadian store, located in Vancouver.
A study published by the European Commission (EC) concludes that the music licensing set up by member countries poses serious obstacles.
U.S. Supreme Court issues landmark decision on copyright infringement.
On June 20th the federal government introduced Bill C-60 to amend and update Canada’s Copyright Act.
Canadian Independent Record Production Association Calls CRTC Decision on Satellite Radio Licensing “Troubling”.
On Thursday June 16th, the CRTC approved three subscription satellite radio licences to be
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) states there is no discernable connection between unauthorized downloading of music and difficulties being experienced by the music industry.
Canadian artist Alanis Morissette to release acoustic version of her multi-million sellling album through coffee retailer.
Music publishing company Third Story Music of Los Angeles has filed a lawsuit against Warner Music Group.
Market research firm NPD Group Inc. has released data showing that legal digital download stores are gaining in popularity.
An association representing American independent record labels has launched in New York City this week.
Independent record label Artemis and airline carrier Song, have partenered to create Song Records.
A proposed settlement between the record clubs Columbia House and BMG Direct Inc. and thousands of songwriters has upset U.S. music publishers.
A U.S. company that sells karaoke CDs is suing seven of its rivals in the U.S. and five in Canada.
Andrew Lack, Chief Executive of Sony BMG, doesn’t expect significant revenue gains for his company or recorded music over the next few years.
In an update of an earlier MBC news story, EMI Group PLC has announced a net profit of ₤56.3 million.
The Federal Court of Appeal ruled that the CRIA cannot obtain names of 29 individuals who collectively uploaded music files to the Internet for unauthorized distribution.
Canadian company ROW Entertainment Income Fund has entered into an agreement to purchase U.S.-based KOCH Entertainment effective June 1st.
The Canadian Music Hall of Fame will be located in Toronto, the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) announced on May 17th.
Canadian Independent Record Production Association Appoints Cori Ferguson As Executive Director.
Linkin Park has asked to be released from its contract with Warner Music Group, the band announced in a statement last week.
Last week, Canadian wireless communications provider Rogers Wireless unveiled a mobile music service called Rogers MusicStore.
A U.S. federal appeals court on May 6th rejected a regulation that would have required
On Sunday, April 17th, the U.K. official singles chart for the first time reflected sales of both physical singles and digital downloads.
German music publishers have won their dispute with German record labels concerning the mechanical royalty rate to be paid to authors.
A French appeals court in Paris ruled last week that copy-protection technologies on DVDs are a violation of a consumer’s right to make copies of recordings purchased for personal use.
In response to readers’ complaints about legal music download services, U.K. computer magazine PC Pro recently conducted its own investigation.
Record label Sony BMG Music Entertainment has signed another umbrella licensing agreement with a major music publisher to facilitate the distribution of music in the form of new digital formats.
The Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) appeared before the Federal Court of Appeal this week to ask the Court to strike down last year’s ruling on file sharing by the Federal Court of Canada.
U.S. President Bush is soon expected to sign a bill into law that increases the penalties for people caught copying and distributing music, movies or software before the works have been officially released.
British act Coldplay has made an exclusive deal with U.S. cellular carrier Cingular Wireless to release a ringtone of the band’s first single “Speed of Sound” from the upcoming album.
An appeals court in Paris ruled this week that Universal Music Group owns the master tapes of Mr. Hallyday’s albums dating back to 1961.
The New York Times published a list of songs found on the iPod of U.S. President, George W. Bush.
Capitol Records Inc. has won a case of copyright infringement against Naxos of America Inc.
CDs from unknown artists will be sold in Starbucks’ 4,400 U.S. coffee outlets beginning next month.
According to figures released by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the number of CDs shipped to U.S. retailers in 2004 increased 5.3 percent over 2003 levels to 642 million units.
A study conducted by an academic at the University of Technology in Australia analyzed the 2004 shipment figures released by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).
The United States Supreme Court began hearing arguments about the potential liability of online peer-to-peer file-sharing networks.
The federal government announced on March 24th that it will introduce changes to Canada’s Copyright Act by the end of June.
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) reported this week that the value of global music sales in 2004 was $33.6 billion (all figures U.S.), a 1.3 percent decrease in value over 2003.
Courts in Europe and the U.K. are issuing decisions that reflect a variety of interpretations concerning national copyright laws.

Jaci Rae, the author of the book The Ultimate Guide to Music Success, is hosting a live show on the artistfirst radio network.

Warner Music Group has filed an initial public offering of up to $750 million (all figures U.S.) in common stock with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) has settled 23 lawsuits against illegal file-sharers.
More than a year after the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) lost its case to obtain the identities of individuals suspected of unauthorized file-sharing, the organization will appeal the decision to the Federal Court of Canada.
Canadian independent music company Netttwerk Music Group has launched Nettradio.com, a network of five online radio stations.
Thanks to an agreement between Bell Mobility and Universal Music, Canadians are now able to download clips of original recordings of popular songs to their cell phones to indicate an incoming call.
Music retailer A&B Sound of Vancouver has been sold to Seanix Technology of Richmond, B.C., for about $25 million.
The 2005 Federal Budget that was announced on February 23rd included the renewal of the Tomorrow Starts Today initiative for an additional four years, beginning in 2006.
Gaining exposure beyond the African continent has always been a challenge for African artists.
A “well-known” Italian deejay was fined 1.4 million euros after police discovered more than 2,000 illegally-obtained MP3 files on the deejay’s personal computer following a raid on a nightclub in Rieti, outside Rome.
Jazz composer Maria Schneider won a Grammy last weekend for an album that was funded by fans and sold only through the Internet.
Satellite, online and cable providers who offer music video streams via video-on-demand services will now have to pay Universal Music Group for each video streamed from the label’s repertoire.
Major music company EMI Group PLC issued a warning on Monday, February 7th, that sales and profits for the current financial year will be lower than expected.
A new radio station in Berlin will operate under a business model in which the station will act as a promotional vehicle for music that is available for download from the station’s website.
A 28-year-old Frenchman has been fined €10,200 ($13,300 U.S.) by a French court for illegally trading more than 10,000 tracks.
Warner Music Group will contribute a minimum of $22 million over five years to the Canadian music sector.
Associations representing independent record labels from around the world have formed a worldwide Coalition.
An international study conducted by Shelley Taylor & Associates compared digital download services in Europe and the U.S., including 15 download stores, 7 media players/jukeboxes, 10 online radio stations and 6 P2P sites.
Bridgeport Music, a small label based in Southfield, Michigan, has settled its copyright-infringement case against German media conglomerate Bertelsmann.
Canadian digital downloading site with the co-operation of Canadian artists, record labels, publishers and industry organizations, is selling two compilation albums featuring Canadian artists.
Telefilm Canada has released an in-depth study of the Canadian music business.
In 2004 there were 230 legal online sites from which consumers can download music, according to the Digital Music Report 2005.
A&B Sound, an electronics and music retailer in Western Canada announced that a private investment firm has signed a letter of intent to purchase substantially all of A&B Sound’s assets.
Canadian record label shipments increased 5 percent in 2004 thanks to anti-piracy campaigns, a range of popular CDs, lower CD prices and special features such as additional content.
Total music unit sales in the U.S. increased 19.5 percent to 817 million units in 2004.
Apple Computer Inc. is being sued by a U.S. consumer who is upset that downloads he purchased from Apple’s iTunes Music Store cannot be played on any other portable digital player other than the Apple iPod.
Canadian download service Puretracks.com is lowering prices on specific Universal Music Canada titles by 20 percent with albums priced at $7.99 and singles at 79 cents.
The government of Venezuela introduced a new law requiring Venezuelan radio stations to broadcast at least 50 percent Venezuelan musical works.
As part of an ongoing restructuring, Warner Music Group has sold its sheet music and educational materials division Warner Bros. Publications.
Research firm Ipsos-Reid has released the results of its Canadian Inter@ctive Reid Report concerning the Internet activities of Canadian teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17.
Music publisher EMI Music Publishing and major record label Sony BMG Entertainment have agreed to work together to facilitate the widespread licensing of copyrighted music.
The levy that Canadian consumers must pay when purchasing MP3 players has been struck down by the Federal Court of Appeal.
An Internet radio show aimed at helping independent musicians gain exposure and success through alternative business, marketing and promotion methods is scheduled to begin January 5, 2005.
Canadian Heritage Minister Liza Frulla announced on December 15th that the Tomorrow Starts Today arts funding program will be renewed for one year.
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed on December 10th to consider an appeal by the U.S. music and movie industries that operators of peer-to-peer file sharing networks can be held liable for aiding copyright infringement.
No significant anti-piracy measures were passed into law by the U.S. government this year despite several efforts by Congress and the Senate.
Two-thirds of U.S. artists who responded to a recent survey conducted by Pew Internet and American Life Project, a non-profit organization, stated that peer-to-peer file sharing is not a major concern to them although most regarded file-sharing as illegal.
Sony BMG Music Entertainment will invest $57.5 million over five years to develop and promote Canadian talent.
Further to a September MBC article regarding the price of an Apple iTunes download in the U.K. compared to the price of an iTunes download in France and Germany, the U.K. Office of Fair Trading has referred the matter to the European Commission for further investigation.
Apple iTunes Music Store launched in Canada on December 1st with a selection of 700,000 tracks from both major and independent artists.
U.S. rights association SoundExchange, a performance rights organization which collects and distributes royalties from the digital performance of musical works in the U.S., is warning featured recording artists that they have until December 31st to claim royalties owed them.
The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) reported that 1.75 million songs were downloaded from British legal Internet music sites during the third quarter, contributing to an overall increase in singles sales, year on year, of 9.4 percent.

Three major record labels have agreed to licence their catalogues to a new peer-to-peer file sharing network called Peer Impact Network that is scheduled to launch in the first quarter of 2005.

The Tragically Hip will be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
Tom Cochrane, Jim Cuddy and Jully Black were among a group of Canadian musicians and record label heads who rallied on Parliament Hill on November 24th to draw the federal government’s attention to the need for urgent copyright reform.
Universal Music Group in the U.S. has set up a separate unit to market artists through digital-only outlets.
Fans who purchase Eminem’s latest CD Encore get more than just the music.
California-based video game maker Electronic Arts (EA) has announced a joint venture with music publisher Cherry Lane Music Publishing to establish Next Level Music.
The U.K. music industry has agreed in principle to merge the recently launched digital singles sales chart with the traditional singles chart, perhaps by early next year.
Peer-to-peer file-sharing service Grokster Ltd. is partnering with California-based Mercora Inc. to offer a free Internet radio service to consumers.
Audio and video distributor Zing Distribution, a five-month old Canadian independent distributor, has struck agreements with Toronto-based Sextant Records (effective December 31st) and Montreal-based Cirque du Soleil Musique.
DreamWorks Music Publishing has been sold to private investment company JDS Capital Management, Inc. of New York.
Further to an earlier MBC news article regarding punk/rap group Beastie Boys and their use of a six-second sample, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld its ruling of last year which found in favour of the Beastie Boys.
Major record label EMI Group may soon turn to manufacturer Procter & Gamble (P&G) to test and distribute new albums.
Video music channel MuchMusic has teamed up with Rogers Wireless to develop the MuchPhone cell phone, a pay-as-you-go handset containing exclusive prepaid content allowing users to customize their handsets with graphics and ringtones.
Future Shop’s music download site Bonfire, Universal Music Canada and MP3 player manufacturer MPIO have joined together to release the world’s first branded, pre-loaded MP3 player.
European independent label trade organization IMPALA announced this week that it will appeal the July 19, 2004, decision by the European Commission to approve the merger of major record labels Sony Music Entertainment and BMG.
Effective November 9th, users on the Morpheus peer-to-peer file-sharing network will be provided with the means to search for MP3s that carry the Creative Commons licence.
Sony-BMG and file-sharing network Grokster are reported to be co-operating on an experiment that will permit only authorized content from the major record label to be made available on the network.
The founder of file-sharing network Grokster has agreed to settle a copyright infringement lawsuit filed by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Online retailer CD Baby reports that it has paid out more than $10 million (all figures U.S.) to independent artists whose CDs were sold through cdbaby.com.
The New York State Attorney General has served subpoenas on the four major record labels as part of an investigation into the labels’ practice of paying independent promoters to promote songs to radio stations in New York State.
Songwriter, CRIA president and broadcaster to be inducted in March, 2005, during Canadian Music Week.
The recently-released Robbie Williams’ Greatest Hits album will also be sold in a memory card format in the U.K. The memory cards, which will also include video content, are designed to be played in cell phones and hand-held computers
Radio stations in the U.S. will now pay a set royalty fee to the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) instead of a percentage of yearly revenue.
Music industry associations in five European countries and the U.K. have initiated legal action against 459 people who illegally upload large volumes of copyrighted music onto the Internet for the purposes of file trading.
The U.S. Supreme Court last week refused a request by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) be compelled to disclose the names of suspected file traders when served with a subpoena issued by a court clerk.
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