Morning Fix: Universal Music Predicts $158 Million Annual Boost From EMI; Ticketmaster & Walmart Expand Deal; Depeche Mode Signs With WME
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UNIVERSAL MUSIC EARNINGS DIP, REVENUES RISE IN FIRST NINE MONTHS: Universal Music Group posted a 2.5% decline in earnings before interest taxes and amortization in the first nine months of 2012, according to results posted by its French conglomerate parent Vivendi. Revenues rose, however, thanks in part to increases in digital sales and license income which helped offset falling demand for physical product. Recorded music best-sellers included releases by Justin Bieber, Maroon 5, Nicki Minaj, Lana Del Rey and Carly Rae Jepsen. |
ALEX WILHELM, CRAZED HITS BLOGGER, NAMED WARNER BROS. DIRECTOR OF A&R: In an update to Billboard.biz’s profile about Alex Wilhelm — who parlayed Crazed Hits, a blog covering unsigned artists that he created in his bedroom in Germany, into a major-label A&R gig — he has finally revealed the company he’s joined: “I’ve joined Warner Bros. Records as Director of A&R,” he tweeted this week. |
DEPECHE MODE SIGNS WITH WILLIAM MORRIS ENDEAVOR: Depeche Mode has signed with William Morris Endeavor for representation in North and South America. The group was previously represented in those territories by Creative Artists Agency. Depeche Mode will release its 13th studio album in spring 2013 and plans to launch its next world tour in May 2013, beginning with Tel Aviv’s Haraykon Park. |
TICKETMASTER EXPANDS WALMART PARTNERSHIP: Walmart and Ticketmaster announced an extension of their strategic partnership in the form of the Walmart Ticket Values program, which provides customers access to a pre-selected number of tickets to major league sporting events, FELD Entertainment family events, arts and theater performances, and other events. |
UNIVERSAL FORECASTS ￡100M ($158 MILLION) ANNUAL UPLIFT FROM EMI BUYOUT: Universal Music has publicly forecast the amount of extra revenue that will be generated by its $1.9 billion buyout of EMI. Universal parent Vivendi anticipates the deal approved in September by US and EU regulators, will bring in ￡100m of annual synergies once the merger is operationally complete. “Management focus is currently on EMI integration, which is moving ahead at full speed,” Vivendi CFO Philippe G. H. Caprone told investors. “We are able to confirm the objective to generate ￡100 million plus of annual synergies, thanks to this acquisition.”
Music Week
NIELSEN BDS DEAL WITH UNIVISION RADIO MAKES IT LEADING MONITORING SERVICE FOR LATIN STATIONS: Univision Radio, the number one U.S. Spanish-language radio network, will begin using Nielsen BDSradio, making it the leading music monitoring service for Hispanic radio stations in the country. Envision Radio Networks, which represented both Univision Radio and Nielsen BDSradio, facilitated the agreement.
Billboard.biz
UNIVERSAL MUSIC SIGNS 2-YEAR DEAL WITH MOONTOAST:Social commerce startup Moontoast has signed a new deal with Universal Music Group (UMG) that will bring its social analytics platform to all of its artists, the companies announced. Moontoast’s platform will allow UMG musical groups under its various labels (Interscope, Def Jam, UMG Nashville) to generate money from the often large followings they have on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. The platform primarily does this by letting its clients embed a “distributed store” into a social network status update or third-party website (Walmart, Target, or an affiliate blog) as well as through interactive games.
Venture Beat
FUTURE OF MUSIC 2012: A FIGHT OVER INTERNET RADIO SCRAPS: There were moments Tuesday during the annual Future of Music Summit where the conversation about revenue in the digital music industry sounded like a scrum over crumbs, a desperate fight over an increasingly shrinking pie. “There is so much competition for so much music, and it’s all so devalued,” said one exasperated music entrepreneur, Rodney Whittenberg. one of the musicians, executives, attorneys, policy makers and journalists who attended the conference, presented by the advocacy group the Future of Music Coalition.
Chicago Tribune
ONE DIRECTION TO STAR IN 3-D FILM DIRECTED BY MORGAN SPURLOCK: Sony Pictures says it’s making a 3-D film about the boy band, due out next year on Labor Day weekend. “Super Size Me” filmmaker Morgan Spurlock will direct the movie. The film will give fans a behind-the- scenes look at the group and its five members: Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson.
Associated Press
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