“Fair Share for Creators”
CISAC President Jean Michel Jarre calls for sustainable business models for creators at MIDEM
2014
(c) J.M. Prioris
Electronic music pioneer explains why creators need to mobilize in order to get their “fair share” from the digital
economy
Midem, Cannes, France – 3 February 2014 – Speaking
at the 2014 MIDEM, the world’s music market, Jean Michel Jarre, world-known composer and producer, delivered a passionate keynote speech
on “Fair Share for Creators”.
“Creators existed before electricity and they will exist after the
Internet… We need to develop fair business models for creators in the digital world. The fight for our rights is a fight for our identity and the future of our culture, ” said Jean Michel Jarre, President of CISAC, the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers and the leading worldwide network of authors’
societies.
“This is a crucial moment in history for creators and culture. We need to sit together with the major Internet
players and get the right business models in place. Make noise! As an artist, I want to use my role as CISAC President to sound the alarm. It is the “wake up call” that I believe each and every
creator should have today.”
Although the global economic crisis hit hard on the creative sector, the hard work done
by authors’ societies is paying off: the latest CISAC Royalties Report published this week shows that global
collections reached a new record high of 7.8 billion Euros, representing a year-on-year growth of 2%. Yet, digital revenues account for only 4% of this global figure. “Right now, we
are definitely not getting a fair share in the digital market,” said Jean Michel Jarre. “Some companies are making billions from our content and we deserve a fair share in
that. The first thing we have to do as creators is band together and speak with a single strong voice.”
Referring to the ongoing consultation on copyright in the EU, Jean Michel Jarre warned “As the world is watching
Europe, it is important that Europe stands strong on creators’ rights. Intellectual property is one of the main elements of our democracy, part of our human rights - our basic human
rights"
About CISAC, the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers
CISAC, Serving Authors Worldwide
Presided over by electronic music pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre since June 2013, CISAC - the International Confederation
of Societies of Authors and Composers – promotes the interest of creators and rights holders worldwide and provide highest business standards to protect their rights.
In a globalised an d digital world, CISAC’s main missions are to reinforce the worldwide network
of authors’ societies, to offer global solutions and tools to creators and rights holders, to be their spokesperson in all international debates and to reassert authors’ inalienable right to
live by their creative work. With 227 authors’ societies from 120 countries as its members, CISAC indirectly represents over 3 million creators and publishers of artistic works in all genres
including music, drama, literature, audiovisual, photography and the visual arts.
As an international organisation, CISAC’s fundamental role is to enable authors’ societies to seamlessly represent
creators across the globe and, in particular, to assist them in ensuring that royalties flow to authors for the use of their works anywhere in the world. In 2012, the royalties collected by
CISAC's member societies in their respective national territories topped €7.8 billion.
Founded in 1926, CISAC is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organisation with worldwide headquarters in France and regional offices in Burkina Faso,
Chile, Hungary, and China. www.cisac.org