TONO's record revenues from abroad in 2017 are not only due to increased use of Norwegian music abroad. It has at least as much to do with an international collaboration that began as early as the 1920s.
/ 28/05/2018 / Willy MartinsenTONO's record revenues from abroad in 2017 are not only due to increased use of Norwegian music abroad. It has at least as much to do with an international collaboration that began as early as the 1920s.
Music Norway is making an increasingly strong footprint in the world – and the world as an arena and source of income is only becoming more important for Norwegian composers, songwriters and music publishers. In 2014, Norwegian TONO members' total foreign income was 35 million. In 2017, the figure had increased to a record high of 68 million.
– The music nation of Norway has had international successes in the past. But we are seeing more and more Norwegian composers and songwriters breaking through and earning income from abroad, says TONO member director, Christian Onshus.
Together with Deputy Director Svein Korshamn and Department Director for Online Media, Inger Elise Mey, Onhus explains why TONO's international work is so important for securing Norwegian authors' rights internationally.
He is supported by Deputy Director Svein Korshamn in the belief that Norwegian music is enjoying international success.
– Four years ago we had one songwriter who received over one million in foreign income. Now we are up to six or seven. Norwegian music is on the rise. This applies not only to the big artists, but also to those who write songs for others or for TV and film. The doubling of foreign
The revenue in just three years also demonstrates that TONO's international agreements are working, and that our international network is only becoming more important, says Korshamn.
CISAC unites 227 organizations in 120 different countries, representing more than three million rights holders from various creative industries: music, the audiovisual sector, film, drama, literature and graphic/visual arts. The company has offices on four continents, with headquarters in Paris. Synth pioneer and composer Jean-Michel Jarre is the organization's president. TONO has been a member of CISAC since 1929.
“The common legal basis for all CISAC organizations is the Berne Convention, which ensures that all countries have fairly similar copyright legislation. It is stated in all countries’ laws that before you use music, you must ask for consent,” says Inger Elise Mey, Director of the Online Media Department. She was recently re-elected as Chair of CISAC’s Media Technical Committee, and is central to TONO’s international work.
– CISAC membership obliges us to meet common international standards. Based on this, the companies enter into independent agreements – reciprocity agreements – among themselves. In this way, we secure a diverse basket of rights that make up our world repertoire – that is, the works of all our members and members of our contractual partners, she says.
CISAC is an arena with a number of professional committees where TONO and its sister societies around the world can share experiences and address common challenges – related to new technology, legislation, operations and communication work.
Today, TONO has 74 reciprocal agreements with sister societies around the world.
– The total income of our members has increased consistently over the last ten years. I believe TONO can be proud that we have negotiated good agreements on behalf of our authors, says Membership Director Onshus.
Ensuring that authors receive the remuneration they are entitled to is no small task.
– International systems and codes have been established with an overview of members, works and performances that are searchable down to what kind of distribution fraction the income for the individual work should be. There are enormous amounts of data that must be collected, organized and processed to ensure that authors are paid correctly. The CISAC collaboration is absolutely crucial in organizing this work internationally, and in developing authoritative databases for works and rights, he explains.
The organization GESAC also plays a role in TONO's international work. It is home to 34 of the largest rights organizations in the EU countries, Norway and Switzerland. In total, the organization represents nearly 800,000 rights holders in music, graphics, literary and dramatic works and audiovisual works.
– GESAC acts as our European lobby organization in Brussels. They organize meetings with the bureaucrats, commissioners and legislators in the EU system. This is very important work. Because the directives that are adopted in the EU capital also apply to us. Therefore, it is crucial that we are present in the EU and speak for the authors to the legislators, says Inger Elise Mey.
May adds:
– It goes without saying that this may seem like David against Goliath in competition with international giants like Facebook and Google. But there is little that appears as meaningful as defending copyright and negotiating agreements with “the Googles of this world” on behalf of Norwegian composers and songwriters.
