Bill Campbell

#AI #WMG #UMG “Robert Kyncl has published a letter to Warner Music Group shareholders that pushes back against any under-appreciation of WMG’s value in the financial market, while talking up AI’s potential to drive that value higher. Recent context is important: despite healthy commercial momentum, both WMG and Universal Music Group shares are currently trading significantly below their 52-week peaks. Last Tuesday (February 24), a telling analyst note from Rothschild & Co Redburn argued that music rightsholders are particularly “exposed” to threats from AI-generated content….” “He writes: “With #Deezer reporting that more than 60,000 AI tracks are uploaded to its platform daily and with seven million #tracks generated per day on #Suno alone, [AI music’s] abundance has prompted understandable concern about oversupply, dilution, and the long-term value of recorded music….” Read the article for more: #WarnerMusicGroup #RecordedMusic #UniversalMusicGroup #MusicRoyalties #Music #MusicBusiness #Musica #MusicIndustry #Musique #Musik #MusicBiz #CreatorEconomy #CreatorsRights #RightHolders #MusicRights #MusicIncome #SongRights #RecordingRights #GenerativeAI #AIGeneratedContent #ArtificialIntelligence #InteligenciaArtificial #IA #InteligenciaArtificialGenerativa #IntelligenceArtificielle #KünstlicheIntelligenz #GeAi #AIGovernance #AIModels

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🚨 Breaking news and major milestone for women’s sports! So excited to announce the launch of All Women's Sports Network on Pluto TV 🎉 Co-founded by the iconic Whoopi Goldberg, AWSN is the first global 24/7 channel dedicated to women’s sports. It is available in the U.S. and, exclusive to Pluto TV, in Canada, the U.K., and the Nordics. 🏆 2,500+ hours of live events annually ⚽ Top-tier leagues across softball, basketball, football, cricket, and more from WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association), FIBA, WNBL.. 📺 A powerful new platform for visibility and equity This is about more than sports. It’s about changing the game. Thx George Chung and Whoopi for your trust and partnership! Let's make it big! ➡️ Read more on The Hollywood Reporter article: https://lnkd.in/eu9TSX-7 #AWSN #WhoopiGoldberg #PlutoTV #WomenInSports #livesports #RepresentationMatters Paramount

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#LatinMusic #Streaming “Amid a slowdown in the growth of #US recorded music revenues, #Latin music remains a bright spot. According to the latest mid-year report from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Latin music wholesale revenues hit $490.3 million in the first half of 2025, up 5.9% year-over-year. That growth rate is more than six times as fast as overall wholesale revenues in the US, which grew 0.9% YoY to $5.59 billion in H1 2025, according to an earlier report from the #RIAA. In all, 98% of Latin music revenues came from streaming, with paid streaming accounting for $271.1 million, up 11.2% YoY. That compares to a growth rate of 6.3% YoY in paid subscription revenue for all genres in H1 2025. Free (ad-supported) streaming of Latin music brought in $174.1 million, up 0.6% YoY. In the “other streaming” category, which combines payments for digital and customized radio services under statutory licenses, including #SoundExchange distributions, revenue grew 0.5% YoY to $36.4 million.” “Latin music in the US continues to gain popularity and generate increased value thanks to the incredible artists whose music connects across language and geographical barriers with support from creative label partnerships,” said Matt Bass, VP of Research at the RIAA….” Read the article for more: #RecordedMusic #Licensing #MusicLicensing #Vinyl #Creators #Artists #Songwriters #Music #MusicBusiness #Musica #MusicIndustry #Musique #Musik #MusicBiz #RecordLabels #MusicRoyalties #USA

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The news is out! Wolf Games has partnered with NBCUniversal and raised our Series A. We’re excited to have the support of Main Street Advisors, Jimmy Iovine, Maverick Carter, Dick Wolf, Tom Werner, Rashid Johnson, and all of our amazing investors that see the same future we do. Our mission has always been simple and ambitious: to build the world’s first AI-native, creator-driven game platform where anyone can create, play, and expand the IP universes they love. We believe that the next generation of entertainment should allow fans to be able to expand the IP that they love. Writers, artists, role-players, modders… millions of creators building stories inside the universes that move them. Wolf Games exists to give these creators a creative, technical, and legal home to create deeply fun experiences. A place where their stories can become games, and their games can become canon. This next round of funding allows us to accelerate our roadmap on: - Game releases with NBCUniversal and our original IP. Each introducing new mechanics, systems, and stories - A unified Wolf Games platform linking all Wolf titles with metaplay from Public Eye to upcoming worlds. - AI-assisted creator tools that make it possible to build playable stories through natural language, remixing, and collaboration. In the long term, we see Wolf Games evolving from studio to service to ecosystem. Join us on the journey, learn more at: wolfgames.net Read about it: https://lnkd.in/gfnhp4Jy

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Today’s acquisition of IndiCue marks a transformative day for Cineverse. For the last decade, our shared vision at Cineverse has been to establish a next-generation studio specifically built to compete in the modern streaming era, this isn't an easy task and doesn't happen overnight.  It happens piece by piece... Today's announcement brings us closer to fulfilling this vision. There is substantial value this acquisition brings us, it places us in a very unique position within the industry were we now control the underlying data pipes from end-to-end. This means that everything we do during the content mastering process, as it relates to metadata enrichment, can now make its way through the entire supply chain and flow all the way to the ad platform and subsequently to our back-end AI content analytics & reporting platform. Contextual advertising has been attempted by various companies over the years with limited success. A big part of their inability to bring an effective solution has been due to the highly fragmented nature of the media supply chain that precedes the monetization end-points. We believe we can solve this problem and are excited to bring cutting-edge innovation to the advertising ecosystem. A huge congratulations to the IndiCue leadership team consisting of Nicholas Frazee, John Marchesini and Yuriy Gorokhov! Congrats to the entire IndiCue team and a hearty welcome into the Cineverse family! #cineverse #matchpoint #indicue #adtech #ott #videostreaming https://lnkd.in/gySsEJbZ

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AI licensing agreements like these show what’s possible when innovation and copyright go hand in hand. These deals make one thing clear: a healthy commercial AI ecosystem can, and must, be built on free-market licensing, including for AI model training. They reflect the music industry's proven track record in embracing new technologies and unlocking new revenue streams for artists. They also offer strong evidence that existing copyright frameworks work. When creators have exclusive rights and the freedom to decide how their works are used, market-led solutions emerge. Governments should take note: Do not erode copyright through blanket exceptions or mandatory schemes like levies or compulsory licences. If any action is needed, it should strengthen the licensing market, not weaken it. That means ensuring AI developers keep accurate records and disclose what content they use, so rightsholders can enforce their rights without endless litigation. Finally, the positions these companies have taken — especially their commitments to their artists — speak volumes. It’s a path forward that works for tech, creators, and fans alike. #AI #Copyright #MusicIndustry #ArtistRights #Innovation #Policy #UMG #FreeMarketSolutions #ResponsibleAI

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I’ve been diving into recent 2026 predictions regarding how AI and advertising are set to dominate global content consumption. It’s a fascinating shift, but it forces me to ask: Where does Africa fit into this new blueprint? Currently, while the world moves toward sophisticated AI-driven models, traditional TV advertising remains the giant in Nigeria and across the continent. I truly believe there is a massive opportunity for platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Netflix to adapt. By adopting ad-supported models (AVOD) specifically for the African market, they could significantly lower subscription barriers and meet the audience where they are. I am incredibly hopeful for the future of our creator economy. My goal is to see African creators not just participating, but headlining international streamers and dominating FAST channels globally. What are your thoughts? Is an ad-supported model the key to scaling streaming in Africa? 🌍🎬 https://lnkd.in/dbVUpZxM #ContentDistribution #Nollywood #StreamingServices #AfricaCreatorEconomy #DigitalTransformation #2026Predictions

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What’s one way to know your prediction hits the mark? When @faultline’s @ Tommy Flanagan writes “we wholeheartedly agree.”   In his latest issue, Tommy ponders an important question about the growth of short-form content: will its adoption go behind tier-1 broadcasters to niches streamers? I’d argue AI-driven shorts are a necessity for niche and tier-1s alike who want to compete (and win) against the creator economy. The reality is, viewers need more reasons to stay engaged within broadcasters’ ecosystems. AI-driven shorts give them the velocity and intelligence needed to break viewers’ habits of scrolling through their TikTok feed, and instead staying within their O&O platforms.   Simply put, the conversation has moved beyond how to participate in the creator economy to where that economy lives. In 2026, the streaming wars will pivot from a battle over library depth to a fight for the discovery funnel.    What do you think?

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Apple Music is teaming up with TuneIn to make six of its 24/7 radio stations available outside the Apple ecosystem for the first time. Stations like Apple Music 1, Apple Music Country, and Apple Music Hits can now be streamed directly on the TuneIn app and website, expanding access for listeners worldwide. https://lnkd.in/gj25K3cx #AppleMusic #AppleMusicRadio #TuneIn

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Breaking: Virgin Music Group closes $775M acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings: A seismic shift in the indie music landscape! After months of regulatory scrutiny and industry debate, Universal Music Group's Virgin Music Group has finalized its purchase of Downtown, bringing together powerhouse platforms like FUGA, CD Baby, and Songtrust under one roof. This serves 5,000+ clients and 4M+ creators across 145 countries. Key Leadership Moves: - Pieter van Rijn (ex-Downtown CEO) → COO of Virgin Music Group - Justin Kalifowitz steps away as founder - Andrew Bergman → Senior Advisor role The Rocky Road: EU regulators probed competition risks, leading to a full divestiture of Downtown's Curve platform. Cleared on Feb 13 – but IMPALA warns of narrowing indie options. This underscores the indie distribution consolidation wave. Artists owning masters? Great. But fewer pipelines to market? A red flag for creator choice. What does this mean for talent managers, indie labels, and emerging artists in India and Dubai? Wider global reach or less competition? Thoughts? #MusicIndustry #IndieMusic #M&A #TalentManagement #MediaBusiness

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