SACEM is the latest organisation representing music rights holders to sign up with Facebook.
The deal with the social media giant covers the use of repertoire represented by the French collection society. In addition, SACEM has licensed the repertoire of Canadian society SOCAN and Wixen Music Publishing, with pan-European mandates expanded to include Facebook.
The multi-year licensing agreements will cover more than 180 territories across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Oculus. Users will be able to create and share videos with music from songwriters represented by SACEM, Wixen and SOCAN.
It follows a glut of deals between Facebook and labels, publishers and collection societies. Universal Music Group was first out of the blocks, followed by Sony/ATV, and then Kobalt Music Publishing, HFA/Rumblefish platform and Global Music Rights.
Pan-European digital licensing body ICE confirmed a long-awaited multi-territory licensing deal last month. Warner Music Group finally signed up with Facebook last week.
Sony/ATV chairman/CEO Martin Bandier recently spoke to Music Week about the “terrific” opportunities for the publisher within the scope of its deal covering Facebook, Instagram and Oculus.
We will work together to create a digital environment of music rights management that is mutually beneficial
Jean-Noël Tronc
The latest agreement announced today will ensure that SACEM’s members and the other rights holders it represents are recognised and remunerated for their works.
SACEM said it paves the way for innovative features on the platforms and collaboration with Facebook with the goal of “establishing a first-class management system for the joint benefit of the companies and the music community as a whole”.
Jean-Noël Tronc, CEO of SACEM, said: “We are delighted to have reached this agreement with Facebook. This deal marks a new milestone in our efforts to ensure that musicians and creators are fairly remunerated for the use of their works on any digital platform.
“In an increasingly digital age, platforms and User-Generated-Content are set to play a prominent role in our cultural eco-system. We will continue to work to safeguard the long-term existence of a thriving musical culture by concluding fair licensing agreements and our deal with Facebook is consistent with this goal.”
He added: “We are looking forward to building a partnership with Facebook and will work together to create a digital environment of music rights management that is mutually beneficial.”
Cécile Rap-Veber, director of licensing and international of SACEM, said: “We are extremely proud to represent Universal Music Publishing International, Wixen Music Publishing and SOCAN in such an important new partnership. They have entrusted us with their rights for the digital exploitation of their repertoires, for such a vast number of countries, and we are committed to ensuring the same level of control and protection for their repertoire as for our own.”
Anjali Southward, head of international music publishing business development, Facebook, said: “We are excited to expand our relationship with SACEM and the music rights holders they represent. Facebook is committed to partnering with industry leaders like SACEM and we look forward to working with them to discover innovative ways to use the power of songs to connect people.”
The Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers of Music (SACEM) has 164,840 members, including 20,012 creators from outside France.
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