FanFair Alliance hopes to take on the ticket touts
A new alliance set up to campaign against online ticket touting was launched in London yesterday, with artist managers leading the charge.

Of course secondary ticketing has been controversial ever since the resale of tickets via online auction sites started to become popular in the early 2000s, and there have been various efforts to combat and restrict the practice over the years, especially in the US and the UK. Though between the moments of high volume protest from the music community, consumer rights groups and some politicians, the secondary ticketing sector has only grown, with the evolution of numerous websites designed specifically for the resale of tickets.

In the UK, however, secondary ticketing became a real talking point once again when MPs Mike Weatherley and Sharon Hodgson managed to sneak some regulation of online touting into last year's Consumer Rights Act. That legislation also obliged the government to instigate a new review of secondary ticketing – the recently published Waterson Report – which seemed to give those in the music community opposed to online touting new momentum, the result of which is the FanFair Alliance.

With the backing of over 40 individuals and companies from across the music community, as well as an assortment of trade bodies representing artists, songwriters, labels, managers, producers and independent promoters and venues, the new campaign has four key objectives on its agenda in a bid to constrain the resale of tickets to in demand shows at considerable mark-ups.

The first two relate to the extra regulations added by the aforementioned Consumer Rights Act, which force sellers to provide information on the face value, seating arrangements and any limitations on the ticket being sold. FanFair cites both its own and Which? research that says these new rules are being frequently ignored on the secondary ticketing sites.

FanFair is firstly calling on those sites – so the likes of Viagogo, eBay's StubHub and Live Nation's Seatwave and GetMeIn - to take responsibility for enforcing these rules. And secondly, the group backs one of the recommendations made by Professor Michael Waterson in his report: that a system be put in place by National Trading Standards to enforce the secondary ticketing laws.

FanFair's third objective is to extend secondary ticketing regulation, in particular pushing ahead with the one rule Weatherley and Hodgson failed to get through Parliament: forcing sellers on secondary sites to reveal their identity. Says FanFair: "This lack of transparency only benefits touts, and we believe their identities should be made clear to buyers. This is already a condition of existing legislation such as the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 - and is standard practice on true online markets such as eBay and Amazon Marketplace".

The final objective relates to the so called bots that touts use to buy up high numbers of tickets when they first go on sale. New York State, which has also sought to more tightly regulate secondary ticketing of late, has cracked down on such technologies, and FanFair says that using such bots should become a criminal offence here too. "Government should clarify that such actions are breaking the Computer Misuse Act" says FanFair in its manifesto, "and attach appropriate penalties".

Launching the campaign, which has its own website and plans to publish a number of educational guides for music businesses and fans, one of the managers spearheading the initiative, Wildlife Entertainment's Ian McAndrew, said: "The aim of the FanFair Alliance is to take a unified stand against rampant profiteering in the secondary ticketing market. I am delighted we are launching with such a groundswell of support and I hope more will come onboard and join us".

He went on: "By sharing knowledge, embracing progressive technology and enforcing consumer legislation, we can take significant strides in reducing a multi-million pound touting industry that impacts on music fans and the wider music economy. FanFair aims to take a pragmatic approach. That is why we are also urging government to take measures and commit resources to enforce existing legislation. With that in place, we can seriously disrupt the more egregious touts and help get more face value tickets into the hands of fans".

Concluding with a rally call, he noted: "But that support is crucial. Otherwise fans will continue to be ripped off and we in the industry will continue to fight an uphill battle".

Throwing his group's backing behind the campaign, Paul Reed from the Association Of Independent Festivals added: "AIF fully supports the launch of the FanFair Alliance. We are calling on the government to act and want to see a Consumer Rights Act that is best fit and protects music fans, with the law on ticket re-sales actually enforced. All involved in the industry should strive to work together to eliminate damaging and unlawful practices, improve consumer education and ensure transparency and fairness for fans".

Following the launch, the aforementioned Sharon Hodgson MP also welcomed the initiative, telling reporters: "For too long fans have been ripped off by ticket touts and the government have continually failed to offer support to fans to put them first, through ensuring legislation is properly implemented and has the teeth to protect fans from the abuses seen in the secondary market".

She continued: "The launch of FanFair Alliance so soon after the publication of the Waterson Review which called on the government to do more in this area, is welcome news and will provide fans with a way to voice their concerns with the secondary market. I hope many fans will sign up to this campaign by visiting their website. I look forward to working closely with FanFair Alliance to ensure Parliament can help voice the concerns of fans with government and in order that fans are put first once and for all".

There is more about the campaign at fanfairalliance.org. Premium subscribers will be able to check out a CMU Trends report reviewing recent developments in the secondary ticketing debate, and the arguments on both sides, on Monday. To become a premium subscriber for just £5 a month click here.

Law firm says it has information "potentially relevant" to Prince heir claims
A Minneapolis law firm which previously represented Prince says it has "potentially relevant" information to aid the Minnesota court which is currently trying to identify the late musician's legitimate heirs.

As previously reported, no will has been found since Prince died in April. Last month eleven people made a claim to being an heir, which would give them a share of the star's wealth and a say in the future management of his catalogue and legacy.

It's not thought law firm Henson & Efron actually has a will, but the court confirmed this week that the lawyers "might possess confidential information potentially relevant to the determination of the appropriate beneficiaries" of Prince's estate.

The court has given Henson & Efron permission to share that confidential information with the trust currently overseeing the administration of the Prince estate. It remains to be seen what impact that then has on subsequent legal proceedings.

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Web-blocking fully underway in Norway
Web-blocking is now fully up and running as an anti-piracy tactic in Norway, following a court ruling that orders internet service providers in the country to block their customers from accessing eight piracy websites.

Norway actually joined the web-block party with an initial ruling last year, the entertainment industry there having decided to try and secure injunctions forcing piracy blockades onto ISPs in 2014. It was the movie industry that requested eight more sites now be added to the block list, with the resulting injunction confirming this is now a readily available option for copyright owners in Norway seeking to limit access to piracy sites.

Welcoming the latest ruling, one of the lawyers representing the Motion Picture Association, Rune Ljøstad, told Torrentfreak: "Together, the decisions create a clear legal basis in Norway to block sites that make copyrighted works available to the public without permission".

As previously reported, in most countries, when web-blocking is first proposed, there is a negative reaction to the move, either by the ISPs themselves or by lobbying or political groups like The Pirate Party. Some point out that it is relatively easy for people to circumvent the blockades, while some raise other concerns. Though once a few web-blocks are in place, the anti-piracy tactic tends to become less controversial.

Though the Norwegian Pirate Party has nevertheless hit out at the latest web-blocks in its country, falling back on that common if not entirely convincing practice of equating copyright protection with censorship.

"I'm afraid that blocking sites will have a domino effect", Torrentfreak quotes local Pirate Party leader Tale Haukbjørk Østrådal as saying. "If we block copyright infringement now, what will be the next thing our society accepts to block? The path from blocking torrent sites to censorship is short, and I do not wish to go down that path".

Universal could be close to deal with vKontakte
Universal Music is reportedly close to signing on the dotted line with Russian social network vKontakte, which would mean the music industry's long running war with the social media firm would be officially at an end.

vKontakte was a contender for enemy number one amongst record companies for a while because of it's habit of turning a blind eye to the rampant copyright infringement that occurs over its networks. At various points the Russian company insisted it was cracking down on piracy on its platform and/or plotting a legitimate music service, though the labels weren't initially very impressed with vKontakte's record in following through on those promises.

To the extent that in 2014 all three major record companies sued the social media business, though the music firms didn't fair as well as they hoped when the case got to the Russian courts. Actually, Sony had already settled by that point, and while Universal vowed to continue pursuing its action through the appeal courts, Warner also reached an agreement with vKontakte back in April.

Since then, vKontakte has launched a new music app that actually provides the much previously touted subscription service that could turn those accessing music illegally via the social network into legit consumers. As that launched there were rumours that Universal was close to a deal with the Russian firm too, but then the major filed new papers in its ongoing litigation with the social networking outfit.

But according to sources who have spoken to the Russian business newspaper Vedomosti, the licensing talks have been ongoing ever since and a deal could now be signed in the next few days. It is thought that the labels may have given vKontakte time to get their music app off the ground before fully clamping down on the illegal distribution of music on the firm's social network, though the majors should still see multi-million dollar cash advances as part of that arrangement.

Movies dominate in entertainment retail chart of the year so far
Yeah Adele, thinking you're the bee's knees, rubbing your legs on every flower you can find in a bid to stop other lesser warblers from getting any pollen. But you forgot about 'Star Wars' didn't you? Luke Skywalker, he's the real bee's knees. You should see how much pollen he managed to gather, and he was only screen for like, what, seventeen seconds?

So yes, for all the chatter about the ridiculously high sales of Adele's most recent album '25', when put up against other home entertainment products Ms Adkins doesn't look anywhere near so impressive, coming in at number seven in the Entertainment Retailers Association's big chart of UK music, DVD and gaming releases for the first six months of the year.

Though, of course, '25' did come out last November, while best-selling entertainment product 'Star Wars - The Force Awakens' had its DVD release in April, putting its big marketing push in the midst of this chart period. And '25' is the only artist album in the top ten, the other top ten music product being the latest 'Now' compilation which somehow shifted over 780,000 units between its March release and the end of June. So, OK Adele, you can keep your knees. But I want some pollen.

Other artists whose albums manage to appear in the Top 40 despite competition from movies and games include James Bay, Little Mix, Drake, Beyonce, Jess Glynn, Coldplay, Justin Bieber and David Bowie, twice. The other movie releases that filled out the top five alongside all that 'Star Wars' nonsense and the latest 'Now' release were 'Spectre', 'Legend' and 'Deadpool'. 'Tom Clancy's The Division' was the highest selling game of the period.

But look at me, telling you all this long-hand, when I could just leave you with the full Top 40 and go eat some honey. So here it is, The ERA Entertainment Chart, which – fans of small print may wish to know – is "based on actual sales of physical and digital albums (including streams) from the Official Charts Company, sales of video on DVD and Blu-ray from the Official Charts Company and sales of console and PC games courtesy of GfK".

1. Star Wars - The Force Awakens (Walt Disney Studios) - Video
2. Spectre (20th Century Fox) - Video
3. Various - Now That's What I Call Music 93 (Sony Music/Universal Music) - Music
4. Legend (Elevation Sales) - Video
5. Deadpool (20th Century Fox) - Video
6. Tom Clancy's The Division (Ubisoft) - Game
7. Adele – 25 (Beggars/XL) - Music
8. The Hunger Games - Mockingjay Pt 2 (Elevation Sales) - Video
9. The Lady In The Van (Sony Pictures) - Video
10. The Martian (20th Century Fox) - Video
11. Call Of Duty: Black Ops III (Activision Blizzard) - Game
12. David Bowie - Blackstar (Sony Music) - Music
13. Justin Bieber – Purpose (Universal Music) - Music
14. The Revenant (20th Century Fox) - Video
15. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (Sony Computer Entertainment) - Game
16. Hotel Transylvania 2 (Sony Pictures) - Video
17. Game Of Thrones - Complete Fifth Season (Warner Home Video) - Video
18. The Good Dinosaur (Walt Disney Studios) - Video
19. David Bowie - Best Of Bowie (Warner Music) - Music
20. Coldplay - A Head Full Of Dreams (Warner Music) - Music
21. Everest (Universal Pictures) - Video
22. Fifa 16 (Electronic Arts) - Game
23. Dad's Army (Universal Pictures) - Video
24. Jess Glynne - I Cry When I Laugh (Warner Music) - Music
25. Beyonce – Lemonade (Sony Music) - Music
26. The Hateful Eight (EIV) - Video
27. Far Cry Primal (Ubisoft) - Game
28. Grand Theft Auto V (Take 2) - Game
29. Bridge Of Spies (20th Century Fox) - Video
30. Lego Marvel Avengers (Warner Bros Interactive) - Game
31. Various - Sing Your Heart Out 2016 (Universal Music) - Music
32. Straight Outta Compton (Universal Pictures) - Video
33. Drake - Views (Universal Music) - Music
34. Doom (Bethesda Softworks) - Game
35. The Last Witch Hunter (20th Century Fox) - Video
36. Inside Out (Walt Disney Studios) - Video
37. Little Mix - Get Weird (Sony Music) - Music
38. James Bay - Chaos And The Calm (Universal Music) - Music
39. Sicario (Elevation Sales) - Video
40. Star Wars Battlefront (Electronic Arts) - Game

Vevo announces a string of innovations as it moves towards subscriptions
Vevo launched a whole raft of new features yesterday in a bid - the music video platform and YouTube-feeder says - to "create a more social, personalised and immersive experience".

Though the real aim here is to pull more viewers directly into the Vevo platform itself, rather than to the Vevo-managed artist channels on YouTube, where many people currently consume the pop promos and original content distributed by the Sony and Universal-owned digital firm. Indeed many music fans currently won't even realise they are consuming Vevo distributed content when streaming it via YouTube.

Vevo hopes to get a direct link to more viewers with a revamped app that offers a whole load more functionality, much of it borrowed from the apps of the audio-only streaming services. A whole new content and curation programme has been launched too, with a line-up of names announced to bring human curation to the service, some of whom – like Maya Jama, Yasmin Evans and Phil Taggart – will also appear in Vevo videos.

For now the revamped Vevo will continue to be ad funded, though the big shift into subscriptions is also still on the agenda, and is part of the reason why the company needs to get more people directly into its own proprietary platforms.

Word has it that the Vevo subscription service – being video based and therefore having much less content overall – will enter that market with a cheaper monthly rate than the £10 norm of the audio streaming platforms. Whether that will then appeal to a more mainstream audience, never likely to spend £120 a year on recorded music, remains to be seen.

NPR allies with iHeart to expand digital reach for member stations
The commercial AM/FM channels operated in the US by iHeartMedia may constitute everything that is wrong with modern broadcasting to those working for American public radio stations allied to the NPR organisation, but the two entities have now formed a partnership in the digital domain.

The new deal gives NPR-allied stations the option to distribute their talk radio output via the iHeartRadio streaming platform, which currently has 85 million registered users. While iHeart will get a load new content for its online platform via the new arrangement, the NPR stations will get access to a big online audience and banner ad space via which they can encourage listeners to donate.

Says iHeartRadio's Darren Davis: "The addition of NPR's member stations helps to create even more signature audio content for iHeartRadio listeners. By joining forces, it is the perfect way for public radio stations to reach listeners on new platforms and to provide iHeartRadio users with additional high-quality news talk programming wherever they are".

Meanwhile, over at NPR, MD of Digital Services Stephanie Miller adds: "As part of our commitment to meeting audiences wherever they may be this agreement provides another option for audiences to find public radio on their preferred listening platforms".

New Culture Secretary in overhauled British government
So, as you probably know, Tezza M has been busy all week putting together the United Kingdom's final ever government, and what a magnificent mix of mediocre minds she has persuaded to join her up front. What a time to be alive!

In amongst all that cabinet reshuffling, incumbent Culture Secretary Johnny Whittingdale was kicked down the stairs, beaten in the face and left slumped on the floor so that Tezza's old mate from the Home Office, Karen Bradley, could step over his messy bloody corpse to take the top job at the Department Of Culture, Media And Sport. These are tough times in the political sphere, don't you know.

"We are looking forward to working with Karen Bradley MP, the newly appointed Secretary Of State For Culture", said music industry lobbying group UK Music on hearing the news, while gathering together every music-based number they could get their hands on in a bid to impress the former accountant and maths graduate now in charge of the government's culture brief. It remains to be seen if they can count on her support. 'Count' on her support! What a time to be alive.

Feeder, Brian Johnson, Korn, more

Other notable announcements and developments today...

• Cooking Vinyl has signed Feeder to a worldwide services deal. The label will release "the best Feeder album yet". According to Feeder, that is.

• Sony/ATV has promoted Michael Abitbol to the job of SVP, Business & Legal Affairs, Digital. The New York-based exec will work across all the legalities and licensing aspects of all things digital.

• AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson - no longer fronting AC/DC, for now at least - has signed up to present five radio shows for Planet Rock which will put the spotlight on "the world's most renowned rock producers". The shows will air on Sunday evenings.

• Slipknot's Corey Taylor will guest on Korn's upcoming twelfth album, and he "really lets loose" on the track on which he appears. Or so Korn guitarist James 'Munky' Shaffer tells Metal Hammer.

• Katy Perry's got a brand new single out called 'Rise’, which will soundtrack TV network NBC's coverage of the upcoming Olympics in Rio. It's available exclusively via Apple channels, so my plan is to exclusively not listen to it.

• The Sun says it's heard the demo of a new track by the reunited Spice Girls called 'Song For Her' and it "sounds incredible". Of course, Mel C and Victoria Beckham are not involved, making the new Spice Girls a trio. To think, they could be the next Bananarama!

CMU Beef Of The Week #314: Azealia Banks v Taylor Swift, maybe
Urgh, am I going to have to write about Calvin Harris's Twitter-spatting with ex-girlfriend Taylor Swift in this week's Beef Of The Week column? Well, that sounds all kinds of tedious. Wait, what's that? Azealia Banks has been dissing Taylor Swift on Facebook? And Lady Gaga? And all and any of her detractors? And all of this in the third person? Well, get that Beef Of The Week trophy all shined up and straight in the post.

"FUN FACT", says a post on Azealia Banks' Facebook page, "'SLAY-Z' is a nickname given to Azealia Banks by one of her fans in 2014. A play on the Z in Banks' name, and her propensity to release consistently awesome music, the nickname was lifted from her Twitter account and featured as one of the characters in Taylor Swift's 'Bad Blood' video. Azealia Banks reclaimed the nickname upon the arrival of her self-released 2016 mixtape titled 'SLAY-Z'".

That was a diss aimed at Taylor Swift, right?

"FUN FACT", starts another post. "Azealia Banks created her own genre of music called 'Witch-Hop'. Coined by the success of 2012's 'Fantasea' mixtape, Azealia considers her music to be inspired by the invisible world. Three days after 'Witch-Hop' was declared by Azealia Banks to be a legitimate genre, Lady Gaga (also a fan of Azealia Banks) suspiciously titled her then upcoming studio album, 'Artpop'".

That was a diss aimed at Lady Gaga, right?

"Azealia Banks is the most widely criticised and widely ignored artist of all time", says yet another post. "While her equally controversial male peers are given an excess of room and public forgiveness to express themselves (be it through drug trafficking, gun violence, misogyny, domestic violence, homophobia etc), Azealia Banks has been demonised by the public at large for simply... tweeting. Opponents of Banks often cite her 'bad attitude' as the reason for their avid disdain towards her".

That was a diss aimed at all detractors, right?

"As evidenced by the excess of meta-data tagged to search query: 'AZEALIA BANKS'", the post goes on, "Azealia's opponents have single-handedly contributed to a global, real time exposure of her personal agenda(s) via the cyber world. Azealia's agenda is rooted in her metaphysical philosophies of duality, gender dynamics, race, time, space, and individuality. All while welcoming cognitive dissonance with open arms, Azealia Banks has an extreme penchant for exploring 'nonsense' and 'non-sense' as ways to solve problems".

No, I've no idea what that's about. But hey, she didn't use any racist slurs and I didn't have to write about Calvin Harris. Double win.