Christine Osazuwa

As a member of The Black Indie Group (BIG), I was recently briefed on a positive follow-up meeting between Channel 4 and our hardworking BIG steering committee. The focus was on the lack of drama commissioning opportunities for Black-led production companies in the UK. While I’m a founding member of BIG, I’m not on the steering committee, so it was encouraging to hear that the meeting ended on a largely positive note. However, as the briefing ended, the conversation segued into something that many of us have experienced all too often—what we affectionately call "The Tone." It’s the attitude and tone of voice that UK execs seem to adopt when engaging with senior Black producers. It's as if, regardless of your track record, being Black means you're perceived as less qualified than your peers. Now I don’t know whether it’s conscious or unconscious, but In the U.S., with hundreds of broadcast hours and tens of millions of online views of my work under my belt, I never encountered it But back here in the UK, I have to say— it happens all 👏🏽the 👏🏽time👏🏽. And I gotta say it's still shocking. This constant infantilisation is just one of the many subtle ways systemic racism continues to manifest in the uk industry. So, if we ever find ourselves in a room together, know this: I’m there to discuss either a specific project or how we can ACTUALLY improve the industry for Black folks. I am not interested in training schemes, mentorship offers, or being partnered with producers or production companies with less experience than me. 😊 Happy Holidays.

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Live music's economic impact is undeniable, and the UK's live music industry reaching a record £6.1bn value in 2023 further solidifies this fact. While the reported value pertains to the top of the live music pyramid, platforms like GigPig play a vital role in the 'seed' sector, nurturing artists who later advance to grassroots venues. This progression is crucial as the 'seed' and 'grassroots' sectors contribute significantly to the economy, laying the foundation for the broader music industry to thrive. Amidst celebrating the positive impact of live music on the music sector, GigPig remains committed to championing the 'seed' level, which adds £2.4bn for venues and £1.3bn to the artist market. These contributions are instrumental in enhancing the economic prosperity of various UK towns and cities, underscoring their immense value often overlooked in the broader market landscape. Kudos to the LIVE (Live music Industry Venues and Entertainment) team and Jon Collins for revealing this pivotal data, showcasing the profound influence of delivering exceptional music experiences. #LiveMusic #EconomicImpact #MusicIndustry #GigPig #UKEconomy

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Is Paramount's Tech Transformation Just a Pipe Dream? In the ever-evolving landscape of media, David Ellison’s announcement about transforming Paramount into a tech powerhouse stirred quite the conversation. Including by me: https://lnkd.in/eBsi2xbi But as we dive deeper, several challenges emerge, casting shadows of doubt over this ambitious pivot. #1. Financial Feasibility With Paramount grappling with substantial debt and pressing financial obligations, notably hefty NFL payments, the costs of attracting top tech talent become a significant concern. Can Paramount realistically afford this tech overhaul amidst economic uncertainties and a struggling stock? The talent war isn't won on ambitions alone, especially when competitors like Google offer more stable havens. #2. Creator vs. Coder Paramount’s tech ambition, while necessary, seems at odds with maintaining the creator-friendly environment Ellison dually promised. In an era when interest rates have climbed, balancing tech innovation with creative freedom is a tightrope walk. Remember, even Netflix, once a haven for creators with its blank checks during #ZIRP, is tightening its purse strings. How can Paramount navigate these waters without the cushion of a tech giant's capital or rising stock prices? 3. Building vs. Buying Tech Infrastructure David Ellison’s plan for Paramount involves a substantial commitment to developing in-house tech capabilities, focusing on cloud services, AI, user interfaces, recommendation algorithms, and ad-serving technologies. This approach aims to differentiate Paramount from competitors and enhance user experience. However, the tech sector’s history suggests leveraging established third-party platforms could be more cost-effective and reliable. Giants like Disney have successfully integrated platforms like BamTech, while HBO initially utilized external technology before transitioning. AMC Networks similarly relies on Brightcove for streaming technologies. The pivotal question for Ellison is whether the potential benefits of custom-built solutions justify the investment and risk, especially when patching together proven third-party solutions might yield quicker and more economical results. #InEssence... These challenges are monumental, yet not insurmountable. As we watch Paramount’s narrative unfold, one thing is clear: transitioning into a tech entity is more than just a strategic pivot—it’s a gamble on the future of entertainment itself. Thoughts? #Paramount #StreamingWars #MediaTech

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*Google has entered the chat* So far Google has waded quietly into music & AI. The launched their Dream Track program last year via YouTube with modest ambition. Around that time they also announced a task force with Universal Music Group to study music issues around AI. (I know two people on this committee; there is yet to be any real progress.) But a couple of weeks ago they announced a suite of creative Gen AI tools: "Veo," for video, "Imagen 3," a text-to-image, and now "Music AI Sandbox," powered by their Gen music AI tool (called Lyria.) The video below is a masterclass in how these tools should be introduced: Recognizable artists - using the tools in action - with inspired results. You can see the upside this tech offers. It's so feel-good, it also has the added bonus of distracting from any pesky training data/ copyright issues. As more and more of this tech gets integrated into plugins and the studio process overall, what we see in this video will soon be the recording norm. #musicindustry #musicbusiness #musicAI #GenAI #musictech

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Two Billion Music Streaming Consumers? Universal Music Group thinks that's possible. They're predicting 1B by 2028 (as is Goldman Sachs, it's worth noting). We're exactly 2/3 of the way there, with 667M globally. That's astonishing. Ten years ago, Spotify had launched in the US three years earlier - and they were stuck under 15M premium subscribers worldwide. Since 2014 the growth has been exponential. We talk about Spotify like it's proxy for all streaming, but its not. Apple Music & Amazon Music together have a quarter of the western market share. Gaana in India has over 200M. Tencent in China. There are many others in local territories. The next phase of growth will be fragmented among these services and it will come in non-western territories. That will make the ecosystem bigger, but also more complicated. Lucian Grange is now touting 2B. Why not? #musicindustry #musicbusiness #streaming #Spotify #DSPs

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BBC AMCerica I’ve gotten a LOT of questions on this website about this transaction. “AMC Networks has acquired full control of BBC America, its joint venture with BBC Studios.” https://lnkd.in/eh8nvSWy This is a pretty easy one to suss - and a crystal clear indication of two companies going in two VERY different directions… AMC is still controlled by OG Cable TV royalty, the Dolan family. Their CEO is Kristin Dolan. They are tripling down on what they know: Cable TV. Yes, it’s a dying business, but BBCA still spins off cash from affiliate fees and advertising, and, up until now AMCN only got 49.9% of the fruits of their labor. Additionally, this deal eliminates substantial long term contractual and financial obligations AMC has had to BBC Studios. Considering the immediate upside, and what they paid for the first half ($200 mil), $42 mil ain’t a bad price to pay. BBC Studios is the for-profit arm of BBC. They recently acquired BritBox International. As BBC Studios Media CEO Rebecca Glashow said, they are “expanding and diversifying our market presence in the U.S,” aka focusing on content arms-dealing and solidifying their streaming business. Thus, the influx of cash, as well as the divorce of exclusivity to BBCA, makes a ton of dollars and cents. Happy to answer more questions in the chat. But this one is not a complicated puzzle to piece together.

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While I see where you’re coming from Andrew, blaming Apple’s Rip/Mix/Burn campaign as the root of the industry’s problems feels a bit narrow. As someone who’s worked in the music industry for over 20 years, I’d argue that the exploitation of artists by labels long predates Steve Jobs’ supposed ‘war’ on the industry. In the 80s and 90s, people were recording songs off the radio onto blank cassette tapes. (Come on, many of us did it as teenagers!) Labels weren’t exactly screaming about the value of music then - they were too busy exploiting artists through one-sided contracts. Even with CDs, many bands were barely seeing a fraction of the profits, despite the ‘value’ the labels claimed to uphold. The music industry has a long history of complex relationships between technological advancements, consumer behavior, and the protection of artists’ rights. In the 1980s, the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) launched the “Home Taping Is Killing Music” campaign, expressing concerns that the rise of cassette recorders and home taping from radio broadcasts would negatively impact record sales. Despite these concerns, home taping became a common practice among consumers, allowing them to create personal mixtapes and share music. This era also saw artists and independent labels navigating the challenges and opportunities presented by new recording technologies. Some artists even embraced home taping as a form of promotion and fan engagement! If anything, Apple exposed the music industry’s reluctance to evolve. Yes, it was disruptive, but tech didn’t devalue music - the system that’s always put corporate profits ahead of fair pay for artists did that. Streaming is the same story. The infrastructure labels helped build now lines the pockets of shareholders, but the devaluation of art is an industry problem, not just a tech one. I think that the evolution from home taping to digital streaming reflects the music industry’s ongoing challenge to balance technological innovation with the protection of artists’ rights and livelihoods. We HAVE to do better all round.

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New Music Discovery… LPFriday is my weekly listening diary. Starting out as a text to a few friends every now then, in lock down I moved onto Instagram in search of like minded souls with similar eclectic listening habits. A few years on and LPFriday is edging closer to the minor milestone of 1000 followers… but tbh I am still none the wiser on how this digital world works😕. What have I learnt about platform algorithms from this project? Well, tagging people you write about doesn’t always get a response but when it does, engagement follows. Cross promoting on different platforms (like now 😉) isn’t particularly effective but how else do you communicate beyond your phone book? Consistency in posting and hashtags are key, even though the algorithms appear to be inconsistent in how they respond. And, Spotify curation is a tough nut to crack. (Advice on promoting playlists from this forum most welcome) ! Are you experiencing a similar journey on social media, either as part of your job or for person development? I would love to hear from you ! If you are looking for new music to listen to, check out the LPFRIDAYPLAYS playlist on Spotify for my picks of standout tracks from new albums and the LPFRIDAY insta account (links below 🔽 ) Spotify : "https://lnkd.in/dKrpwzEP" Insta : (https://lnkd.in/dwhigBye) #newmusic #musicilike #musicsharing #albums #newmusic #musicdiscovery #socialmedia #spotify #algorithms #learning #personaldevelopment

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To many, it was just a throwaway diss. To me, Metro Boomin's 'BBL Drizzy' was one of the most important milestones in the story of AI and Music. Why? BBL Drizzy is an instrumental beat by Metro Boomin, released during the so-called civil war of Hip Hop to point attention to Drake's *ahem* alleged surgical enhancements. It sampled a song that... never existed. Over a mid-70s sounding Soul/R&B arrangement, a singer from a bygone era proclaims 'the best BBL in history'. It's not revolutionary in and of itself, but I believe BBL Drizzy demonstrates a sea change in music: 1. AI is now making plausible sounding automated samples and can replace the sampling process of old: - Sampling is a huge industry in music, particularly hip-hop. It can be expensive and one mistake can have material ramifications; Automating samples clears this hurdle, making sampling cheap, quick and efficient - On the flip side, sampling breathes life into old records, providing a catalogue artist a payout and the record a second wind. Automated sampling *will* take money away from catalogue artists 2. AI makes tasks that are complex to humans really, really simple - Retrofitting samples has been done before (see Tuxedo's 'Number One') but it takes significant songwriting hours, a band, a recording studio and mixing/engineering time - AI takes a few prompts and runs with it - Likewise, the Beatles were able to finish a final song ('Now and Then') they previously couldn't by using AI to isolate vocals from the backing track and 3. BBL Drizzy shows AI democratise music - BBL Drizzy's sample was made by a comedian (King Willonius), not a professional musician; AI opens up music production to *anyone* with an idea; widening the possible pool of artists - Owing to the lack of copyright restrictions, Metro Boomin was able to crowd-source verses to the track, allowing literally any rapper to rap on the BBL Drizzy beat 4. AI can devalue music and disempower artists - AI can cut the skilled professional out of the equation; by automating drums, guitars, bass, etc. AI risks removing the experienced, trained professional from the equation, and the money pool - AI tools can correct or improve a performance, possibly reducing the need for practice and refinement - this might lead to a general reduction in the average skillset, hurting artists on the live circuit We're likely to see unprecedented investment into music-based AI over the coming years and it's my view that we need to pre-empt the AI-sized train coming through the tunnel with regulation. UK Music has set out 5 principles for AI in music (https://lnkd.in/esDfpNU3), but it's my view that we need a Rome Convention-type response to extract and leverage the benefits of AI and to allow a new industry to flourish, while protecting artists' income, livelihood and moral/legal rights.

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PPL, the UK’s music licensing company for recorded music, distributed over £103.7 million ($131.5 million) to more than 133,000 performers and recording rightsholders in Q2 2024, marking a 6% year-on-year increase and its first distribution surpassing £100 million. The growth is attributed to increased public performance licensing revenue and improved global data exchange. Notably, 1,200 members received their first-ever payment. PPL’s new Specially Featured Entertainment (SFE) tariff, implemented in 2023, boosted distributions by 20%. Additionally, international collections rose by 13%, with the first payouts from Guatemala included. https://lnkd.in/gpZsfxm8 #PPL #musicbiz

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'...creative technology firms and artists in Merseyside and the West Midlands will get a major financial shot in the arm with a £13.5 million investment in training, research and development to boost jobs and economic growth.' 'Experimental performance projects curated by the RSC will be showcased at South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Texas in 2026, while the Birmingham Opera Group and The Rep theatre will stage new works, including co-creations with young people in deprived areas of the West Midlands.' via UK Music Ltd

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An interesting opinion piece from Shaad D'Souza on how he blieves the music industry is engineering the popularity of artists. I have some strong opinions on the article but have a read and form your own opinion on how labels, artists and marketing come together with DSPs. #Music #MusicIndustry #MusicBusiness #DSPs #Spotify #AppleMusic #AmazonMusic #MusicMarketing

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