1. What is Cloud Computing?
“Cloud
computing is defined as hosted services for storing and delivering personal
content over the Internet. Over the words software or your content that would
normally be posted on your computer is, instead, hosted on a server and
accessed by your computer via the Internet. What makes this a new trend is the
fact that Amazon, Itunes and others are now offering consumers the option to
store their music collections in the cloud so they can be accessed from remote
locations. Ironically enough, back in 1999, My.Mp3.com was an earlier player in
the cloud game, offering consumers the option to store their music ‘in the
cloud’. They were sued by the record labels and dropped the idea.”
2. How does Cloud Computing work for Online Music Industry?
In
brief, the cloud computing service store users’ music remotely. The users
upload their own music to the cloud and the cloud acts like an external hard
drive. Then users can access the music through a special interface.
It
starts awkward stage of the online music revolution, which provides customers
with a legal way to music online and be adopted by many companies soon because
it makes portability possible, enabling registered users to access digital
music saved in remote servers regardless of different devices. Crucially, users
are no longer required to continually store every file on a local hard drive.
Music publishers are significant for developing, protecting and negotiating a value for the music in the market. The publishing is to help songwriters to develop their skills. In the past, most publishers were companies. They work with record companies to search and nurture new writing talents and to develop more existed writers. Moreover, publishing companies provide their writers more time to focus on writing and composing by taking care of their careers from business aspects, including financial support, advising, introducing a writer to new record companies and film/television producers.
- What does a publisher do?
Searching commissions for new works for recording or performance.
Promoting the composers and songwriters to other performers, recording companies or other related departments for commercial purpose
Producing the music samples, such as CDs.
Licensing the use of musical works, and taking action against any use of the music without a license.
Pay to composers and songwriters for the use of their works.
According to the responsibilities for the publishers, in traditional music publishing industry, publishing companies are definitely the dominant ones which are the most efficient to make the music works heard by more and more people, because the cost is huge and process is complicated. For those who are talent for music but without a publishing company, they must be extremely strong in finance and social network; otherwise their works couldn’t be published easily.
- Music publishing process
(1) Contract: The composers or songwriters enter into a contract with the publishing companies to submit a certain number of works each year or for a determined period of time.
(2) Submission: The composers or songwriters submit the works to the publishers
(3) Evaluation: The Editorial Department passes the manuscripts to editors after screening all incoming works. The editor registers and evaluates the manuscripts for quality and practical feasibility. The works which match with the requirements will be passed to a Publications Committee for further review and evaluation.
(4) Copyright: The publisher’s Legal Department should be responsible for securing the legal rights of both the composers/songwriters and the publishers before reproducing and distributing the music. Before drawing a contract the works will be reviewed in case permissions or licenses need to be obtained. The contracts for copyrights should be on the base of both composers/songwriters and publishers acceptances.
(5) Printing: After examination and clarify the copyright, the engraved work is then prepared for printing. “Each page is laid out by the production department and titles, page numbers, copyright notice and all other necessary elements are added. After this, the cover is prepared.” (http://entertainmentlaw.uslegal.com/music-industry/music-process/)
(6) Registration: New works will be registered with the Copyright Office or similar institute around the world. The works will be also listed with the performance rights institute for future collection of performance fees.
(7) Publishing: When the works are to be printed, all the promotions and related activities are into motion. Copies are mailed out to retailers all over the world, especially to those who subscribe to a new publication program. The publishing companies issue press releases, and send the copies to magazines for review. Other departments or organizations such as music committees may also receive the copies. If the work is for specific use, for example, the advertisement or song for a game, then the copies will be sent to the cooperative company.
The spread of Cloud Computing accelerates the globalization in the music industry, so that the globalization provides more opportunities in the music publishing industry.
Firstly, in terms of the publishers, the platform won’t only for the companies, but also for the individuals. In traditional music publishing industry, according to the music publishing process, the most effective and efficient way for a composer or songwriter to publish his/her works is to cooperate with a publishing company due to the complicated and time consuming process and extremely expensive price. However, with the cloud computing, individuals could publish their music all over the world independently. In brief, they just need to upload their works to the could and the music could be searched by the listeners from all over the world.
Secondly, due to that more individuals becomes independent publishers, the competition for all the artists will be fairer. And this will stimulate the music styles to be more abundant.
Thirdly, the trend of globalization provides the opportunity for massive music overseas output and more effective transnational cooperation in the music industry. Because all the customers’ data is in the cloud, it’s more convenient for the publishers to analysis the customers interests for music, so that the promotion and advertising could be better matched with the market’s needs. The cooperation among different countries will be more efficient: Maximize the profit within minimized time and cost.
5. New business model for Music publishing industry
The
Music Publishing industry focuses on the diversity of publishers, multiple
publishing channels and the copyright control. Business model of music
publishing has been changed under the influence of globalization mainly in
three aspects:
(1)
Music publishers: Company, Individual
The
structure of publishers is becoming flattered. In the past, the publishing was
mostly controlled by the companies. With the spread of Cloud Computing
worldwide, unsigned artists can publish and promote their works independently.
They can control their publishing process by themselves.
(2)
Publishing channels: Official web, Apps, Third-party platform, online movie,
online-game, drama, telecommunication
The
music publishing channels is to be creative and the publishing speed will be
faster. For example, a new work is published through the official web or social
media, and synchronized to the other platforms. The composers or songwriters
collect the copyright fees from the platforms.
(3)
Copyright control: Digital Rights Management (DRM) systems
Copyright
control is the biggest issue in using Cloud Computing. All the data and
information are easier to get from the cloud, so to protect the rights of the
works is significant.
But
on the other hand, the cloud provides a new way to prevent the original music
from being copying illegally. When the works is being published, install the
DRM system in the cloud to protect the music. Anyone including
companies cannot copy or download the music without paying for the copyright. In
brief, the original music cannot be copied from cloud.
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