Rounding up recent tech news that impacts livelihoods in the creative community …

IFPI Global Music Report exposes the value gap as music's "biggest threat"
On April 25 IFPI released its 2017 Global Music Report, with 60 percent growth from streams driving 2016 industry revenue to $15.7 billion and a year-over-year growth rate of 5.9 percent. This key digital segment splits into two very different pieces because of DMCA safe harbor regulation of ISPs that host user-uploaded content. Paid streams reached approximately 112 million subscribers by the end of 2016, with another 100 million using ad-supported streaming. The revenue from this component totaled almost $4 billion, with an average annual revenue of more than $18 per user. The value gap causes a steep drop to occur: 900 million music listeners on user-uploaded platforms resulted in music industry revenue of just $553 million, with average annual revenue of about 61 cents per user. IFPI CEO Frances Moore said, "The music world is seizing the moment and uniting in its efforts to fix the value gap. If we can get this right, then the recent, modest growth can be just the start of a longer journey to a significantly stronger and fairer global business." IFPI maintains 2016 revenues show that "the value gap is the biggest threat to the future sustainability of the music industry."

FCC Chair joins the fight for light-touch internet regulation
A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the matter of restoring internet freedom was issued by the Federal Communications Commission on April 27, beginning a divisive, but important and meaningful, battle over the future of FCC internet regulation. Public comments must be submitted by July 17. Because the internet is not equivalent to the analog telephone or radio, the agency has struggled to find a jurisdictional basis for regulation, and the NPRM rejects the Title II telecommunications basis settled on under the previous administration. FCC Chair Ajit Pai has spoken forcefully in favor of light-touch regulation, and believes heavy-handed rules hurt rather than help the open internet. Pai has made himself a lightning rod for pro-internet and digital rights groups who favor FCC internet regulation under Title II. The most satisfactory determination of regulatory jurisdiction would be congressional legislation; meanwhile, a storm of arguments on both sides is expected.

Samsung S8 comes preloaded with Google Play Music
On April 21 Samsung launched its S8 Android phone along with a Google partnership that offers Google Play Music as the phone's default music service. Deal sweeteners for consumers include twice the free storage allotment in the cloud, a three-month free trial and future integration with Samsung's virtual assistant, Bixby. The strategic partnership is notable as a concession by Samsung that playing nice with Google — Android's creator — is in its best business interests.

Fair pay for music creators: Learn 3 elements music licensing reform must address