iHeartMedia has formed a partnership with TikTok to establish a podcast network and digital radio station that will showcase content from TikTok creators. The TikTok Podcast Network will feature as many as 25 shows hosted by platform creators and produced in co-branded studios located in Los Angeles, New York and Atlanta. Distribution will occur through…
Spotify has partnered with the National Music Publishers Association to create an opt-in portal allowing independent publishers to secure direct licensing agreements for expanded audiovisual rights across the United States. The arrangement will generate increased royalty payments for songwriters and independent publishers while granting Spotify additional capabilities to develop video features that strengthen connections between…
Sony Music Publishing has entered into a worldwide administration agreement with By Design, a Nashville company specializing in faith-based music content. The partnership grants Sony global rights to manage the catalog and roster of By Design while both parties will pursue collaborative signings to nurture emerging songwriters within the Christian music sector. By Design launched…
Warner Records Nashville has named Cris Lacy as Chair and President following a rebranding from Warner Music Nashville. Lacy, who brings two decades of experience with the label and previously served as Co-President, will report to Warner Records Group CEO and Co-Chairman Aaron Bay-Schuck, along with COO and Co-Chairman Tom Corson. Former Co-Chair and Co-President…
Stockholm-based music distributor Amuse has named Giorgio D’Ambrosio as its Chief Executive Officer while adding Dan Rowe from Firebird Music to its board. D’Ambrosio, who joined the board in 2020 and served as interim CEO for the past year, officially assumed the role in October. The company reports it has invested over 30 million dollars…
A German court has ruled that OpenAI violated copyright laws by using song lyrics without authorization to train and operate ChatGPT, marking the first time a European court has sided with creators whose work was exploited by generative AI systems. The court determined that ChatGPT stores copies of original works and reproduces them when users…
Nigerian authorities recovered one metric ton of cocaine from an empty shipping container at Port and Terminal Multiservices Limited in Lagos, with the narcotics valued at approximately 29.4 billion naira. Customs Area Controller Joe Anani told reporters that terminal operators discovered 1,000 parcels during a disinfection inspection of the 20-foot container, which arrived from Freetown,…
Melsmore Marine Limited formalized enhanced employment terms with the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria through a collective bargaining agreement executed at the company’s Victoria Island office in Lagos. Union President Francis Bunu Abi characterized the arrangement as recognition that workforce satisfaction directly influences organizational productivity and output levels. The marine services provider recently adjusted compensation…
Nigeria’s petroleum minister reaffirmed government’s dedication to merit-based project approvals during ceremonies marking the departure of Oriental Energy Resources Limited’s EMEM floating production vessel for the Okwok Field offshore development. Senator Heineken Lokpobiri told attendees that compliance with regulations rather than personal relationships determines approval outcomes, noting he met the company chairman for the first…
Optiva Capital Partners has urged African business owners and families to pursue second citizenship programs as essential tools for wealth preservation and international mobility. Ambassador Amaka Okeke, the firm’s executive director for business development, told business editors in Lagos that obtaining additional passports enables access to superior healthcare systems, educational institutions and commercial markets while…
