YOUTUBE ISSUES CONTENT BLOCKING THREATS TO INDEPENDENT LABELS – WIN AND IMPALA RAISE CONCERNS ABOUT NEW MUSIC STREAMING AGREEMENTS

IMPALA (Independent Music Companies Association) joins WIN (the Worldwide Independent Network) and the worldwide independent community in objecting to news that YouTube intends to block the content of members who do not sign a new music streaming agreement describing it as ‘unnecessary and indefensible’.
ON WORLD CULTURAL DIVERSITY DAY, IMPALA CALLS ON THE EU TO BUILD A NEW FRAMEWORK TO ACHIEVE DIVERSITY, COMPETITION AND ‘FISCAL FAIRNESS’ IN THE ONLINE ENVIRONMENT

Cultural diversity is at the heart of what the EU is: a union of different cultures, different languages, different lifestyles. Culture is one of Europe’s main assets – a social asset through its inherent value, but also an economic asset through its contribution to jobs, growth and trade. The cultural and creative sectors are crucial to the European economy, producing faster than average growth and accounting for 4,5% of the EU’s GDP and 8,5 million jobs. They are also a key element of the EU’s soft power on the international stage.
“SAFE HARBOUR” ABUSE AND OTHER IMBALANCES IN THE MUSIC SECTOR – CALL FOR ACTION FROM BEGGARS GROUP’S MARTIN MILLS

Beggars Group Founder & Chairman Martin Mills speaking at the Canadian Music Week.
EU COMPETITION DAY: IMPALA CALLS FOR OPEN & DIVERSE DIGITAL MARKET & ‘RECASTING’ OF COMPETITION POLICY IN CULTURAL MARKETS

The European Competition Day event is a great opportunity to take stock of Europe’s competition policy. It gives policy makers and citizens food for thought as Europe enters a new critical stage where the digital market, led by music and other cultural sectors, will be the principal vector of economic and social power.
IMPALA MUSIC PRIZE GOES TO GUADALUPE PLATA FOR BEST EUROPEAN INDEPENDENT ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Spanish band Guadalupe Plata’s self-titled album has won the annual European ‘Mercury-style’ music prize organised by IMPALA for the best independent album in Europe.
IMPALA INTERVIEW WITH MARK KITCATT (EVERLASTING RECORDS)

In this interview originally published in Music Week, IMPALA met with Spanish record label Everlasting Records founder Mark Kitcatt to discuss Guadalupe Plata winning the IMPALA European Album of the Year award, what’s in store for Everlasting Records and what it is like to run an indie label in Spain nowadays.
CW! WELCOMES THE CLOSURE OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION’S PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON THE REVIEW OF THE EU COPYRIGHT RULES

Creativity Works! welcomes the closure today of the European Commission’s consultation on the review of EU copyright rules. Amongst the thousands of responses received by the Commission in recent weeks are those from industries within the creative sector representing thousands of companies and millions of creators and workers from across the EU, whose businesses and livelihoods depend upon copyright and its effective protection.
EUROPEAN INDEPENDENT ALBUM OF THE YEAR – 24 ALBUMS MAKE IT TO IMPALA’S SHORTLIST

Following its successful launch three years ago, the IMPALA European Independent Album of the Year Award is back for its fourth edition.
LEADING INDEPENDENT DANCE LABEL ARMADA MUSIC AND ITS FOUNDER ARMIN VAN BUUREN HONOURED BY IMPALA OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION AWARD

Leading independent dance label Armada Music and its founder DJ Armin van Buuren honoured by IMPALA Outstanding Contribution Award
MERLIN’S CEO CHARLES CALDAS ON INDIES, STREAMING AND THE MARKET SHARE ISSUE (OP-ED)

Merlin’s CEO Charles Caldas on Indies, Streaming and the Market Share Issue (Op-Ed)