Music News 7/7/11

Copyright holders have teamed with Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to fight copyright infringement via illegal downloading. A first-of-its-kind plan for notifying those accused of stealing copyrighted material was announced on July 7.

The RIAA, Motion Picture Association of America and others have paired with the country’s biggest ISPs including Comcast Corp., Time Warner Cable, Verizon and AT&T to form the Center for Copyright Information (CCI). The recent announcement is the result of negotiations that began in December 2008.

Under the new agreement, illegal downloaders will receive emails and pop-up alerts warning them that their Internet accounts are possibly being used for illegal activity. These “copyright alerts” will include educational messages designed to let the file-sharer know that they are engaging in unlawful behavior. These notifications would be sent by the ISP, after receiving notice from a copyright holder.

Under the new arrangement, the offender’s Internet service would not be shut off, but could be slowed. Also, the illegal downloader might be forced to discuss the situation with his or her ISP. ISPs will not share subscribers’ personal information with content owners except under court order.

According to the report, content theft is estimated to cost the U.S. economy $58 billion, 373,000 American jobs and $16 billion in lost employee earnings every year.

This program is designed to provide a common framework of “best practices” for the industry. No new laws or formal legal procedures have been created. However, under current law, copyright owners were already allowed to seek remedies for infringement.

Data from the CCI suggests that most users (up to 70%) would stop content theft once alerted that it is occurring, that it is illegal and that there are consequences associated with continuing to engage in it.

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Ruth Collins has signed with Curb Records and Curb Music Publishing. The rising singer-songwriter is represented by managers Jeff Lysyczyn and Al McManus of Big Show Music Co.

Fans of CMT’s Can You Duet may recognize Collins from her time on the show, where she performed alongside Victoria Gibson as part of the duo Wild Honey.

Collins is native of New York state who moved to Nashville in 2007 following a stint at the prestigious Berklee College of Music. The lifelong musician has been studying violin and classical piano since age three. She began writing songs as a teenager after her dad introduced her to the music of James Taylor.

Front (L-R): Ruth Collins and attorney Jordan Keller. Back (L-R): Jeff Lysyczyn (Big Show Music Co.), Tiffany Goss (Curb Music Publishing), John Ozier (Curb Records), Colt Cameron (Curb Music Publishing), and Al McManus (Big Show Music Co.)

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Publishing veteran Pat Finch has entered into a joint venture with former S1 Songs Group CEO Steve McMellon and Reynold D’Silva (founder of UK indie Silva Screen Records) to form Pat Finch Music Publishing/Southern Crossroads Music.

“I’m privileged to have been given the opportunity to, once again, try and build a successful publishing company from scratch,” says Finch. “I hope to replicate many of the successes the writers, artists and I have previously accomplished in this new venture.”

“We see this as an opportunity to build a new Nashville-based and artist-driven publishing and production company,” adds McMellon. “One that will comprise either artist/writers or producer/writers. We had great success in Nashville during S1 Songs ‘days’ and Pat was instrumental in delivering that success. At Southern Crossroads Music we hope to replicate some part of that achievement in an artist/writer friendly environment.”

Southern Crossroads Music currently represents Nashville singer/songwriter Jabe Beyer whose songs have been featured in HBO’s True Blood and the Fox-TV’s Lie to Me, among others. Also on the roster are UK-based Americana acts Danny and the Champions of the World and Owen James Harvey.

Finch was previously Sr. VP/GM for S1 Songs America, part of the global publishing company First State Media Group that was acquired by Chrysalis Music Publishing in April 2010. BMG then purchased Chrysalis in late 2010 to become BMG Chrysalis.

The company’s offices are located at 1229 17th Ave. S.Reach Finch at patrickfinchmusicpublishing@gmail.com, McMellon at stevemac@southerncrossroadsmusic.com or D’Silva at reynold@silvascreen.co.uk.