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Licensing

Roblox agreement with BMG brings the fourth largest music catalogue to the video gaming platform

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gaming switchboard and headphones

Bertelsmann's music division BMG has signed a strategic agreement with Robloxthat puts an end to BMG claims relating to the use of its publishing and recording catalogues by the video gaming platform.

The statement issued by the two companies is scarce on details about the agreement, but it can be assumed that from now on, BMG's repertoire is going to be fully licensed for use on the platform. The statement does not specify either if a settlement was paid to BMG by Roblox. Interestingly, BMG wa...

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Emmanuel is a Washington, DC-based freelance journalist, blogger and media consultant, specialising in the entertainment business and cultural trends. He was the US editor for British music industry trade publication Music Week. Previously, he was the editor of Impact, a magazine for the music publishing community (2007-2009), the global editor of US trade publication Billboard (2003-2006), and the editor in chief of Billboard’s sister publication Music & Media (1997-2003).

Digital Economy

Disney channels return to YouTube TV

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The Walt Disney Co. and YouTube have signed a multi-year distribution agreement that will bring back Disney-owned channels to YouTube TV. The new deal, the terms of which were not disclosed, puts an end to a dispute about per-subscriber rates, which resulted in Disney pulling out its content from Google's video streaming platform early November 2024.
“This new agreement reflects our continued commitment to delivering exceptional entertainment and evolving with how audiences choose to watch,’’ s...

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Licensing

Charlie Lexton named CEO of ​Merlin

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Charlie Lexton has been appointed as CEO of ​Merlin, the digital rights licensing agency for independent labels and distributors, effective 1 January 2026. He will replace Jeremy Sirota, who announced earlier this year that he would step down from his position after five years in the job.
Lexton most recently served as COO of Merlin, a company he has worked for since its inception, initially alongside founding CEO, Charles Caldas. Sirota joined Merlin in January 2020 from Meta where he served as...

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Digital Economy

Spotify and NMPA launch new Opt-In Portal for publishers to enter into direct license deals for expanded AV rights in the US

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Spotify and the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) launched a new Opt-In Portal allowing NMPA music publishers members to enter into a direct license agreement for expanded audiovisual rights in the US. The NMPA Opt-In Portal is open to eligible publishers from November 11, 2025, with onboarding continuing through December 19.
According to a joint statement, these new agreements "mean higher royalty payouts for independent music publishers and songwriters." In exchange the streaming s...

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