Giant music rights database with Net hook-up planned

From...

by Joris Evers

(IDG) -- The International Music Joint Venture (IMJV) has asked French-Dutch IT services provider Atos Origin to build a database for music rights that can also process online usage of music.

The IMJV, based in the Netherlands, combines three music rights organizations: the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP); the U.K. MCPS-PRS alliance of the Mechanical Copyright Protection Society (MCPS) and the Performing Right Society (PRS); and Dutch Buma/Stemra. Other music rights organizations are free to join.

IDG.net INFOCENTER InfoWorld Main Page InfoWorld Test Center Subscribe to InfoWorld Newsletters Infoworld Opinions and Spotlights Related IDG.net Stories If you use Napster, you're being watched Sony squeezes MP3 player into cell phone My.MP3.com returns for free or for a fee Features Top 10 rules for e-business success Bluetooth wireless connectivity set to take off DSL in distress Visit an IDG site Choose a site:IDG.netCIOComputerworldDarwinDummies.com GamePro.comThe Industry Standard ITWorld.com InfoWorld.com JavaWorld LinuxWorld Macworld Online Network World Fusion PC World Publish.com SunWorld IDG.net search

"This won't counteract the illegal copying of music on the Internet," Robert de Boer, spokesman for Atos Origin said Tuesday. "It will be possible to monitor what songs are swapped with software like Napster, or downloaded from Web sites like MP3.com."

De Boer noted that the actual monitoring will be done with separate software. The data can, however, be automatically entered into the music rights database.

"With current systems it is not possible to match the database with online illegal activities, this system will measure and register. To measure is to know," said De Boer.

The database, based on Oracle's software, will contain details on about 3.5 million works of music. The IMJV will use it to collect money from users of the music, broadcasters for example, and to calculate payments to artists and other rights holders.

"Building the database is very complex," said De Boer. "Some music pieces have hundreds of parties concerned and the three existing individual databases vary in setup."

The order is worth 8.1 million euros ($6.9 million), said De Boer. The IMJV will take delivery of the database in April 2002. An estimated 1.6 billion euros in rights collections and payments will be handled by the system, De Boer said.

Napster deal: What now for Internet music?
November 1, 2000
David Bowie corrects CD error via Internet
October 30, 2000
The benefits of giving away music
October 24, 2000
Report: Retailers in for bumpy ride with digital music distribution
October 3, 2000
Win or lose, Napster has changed Internet
October 2, 2000

If you use Napster, you're being watched
(The Industry Standard)
Sony squeezes MP3 player into cell phone
(PCWorld.com)
My.MP3.com returns for free or for a fee
(InfoWorld.com)
Another front in the digital-music battle
(The Industry Standard)
An inside tour of the Pentium 4
(PCWorld.com)
Play MP3s on your cell phone
(PCWorld.com)

International Music Joint Venture

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.