Germany’s new culture minister backs its music biz at Midem

Monika Grütters begins as she means to continue: talking up the arts, not (like British ministers) telling them what not to do.

Press release:

The new German minister of culture and media, Monika Grütters, visits the German music-industry at Midem on her first trip abroad as minister

Cannes – Over 60 German music-companies are presenting themselves from February 1st to February 4 th at the MIDEM in Cannes, one of the most important music-trade fairs worldwide. There will be prominent support: Monika Grütters, the new minister for culture and media will inaugurate on Sunday February 2nd, 5pm the German joint stand in the Palais des Festivals. The Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy is also partner of the joint stand at MIDEM; already for the 25th time.

The president of the German Publishers’ Association (DMV), Dagmar Sikorski and Dr. Harald Heker, Chairman of the Board of the German collection society GEMA will join the minister at the inauguration of the joint stand. The managing director of the German Music Publishers’ Association (DMV), Dr. Heinz Stroh, stated: “Because of the support of the ministry of Economics especially the smaller and middle-sized companies get here at Midem the chance to present their product to the global music-market and to make contacts that otherwise would only be possible with an enormous financial expense.” Stroh pointed out that Midem still is one of the most important places to make contacts for the licensing business that brings together all genres. After 15 years of contraction on the global music-market an increase is visible again because of the digital product. German is number four on the international music-market.

One of the highlights of Midem will be the competition “Midem Lab” where start-ups on the music-market will compete. From Germany Capsule fm, Nagual Sounds and Starlize are qualified and will present themselves to potential investors and international market participants.

In workshops and on conferences representatives of the German music market will discuss about the future perspectives of the music-market. Among them are: Dr. Florian Drücke (managing director of the association of the German music industry BVMI), Ronny Krieger (label manager, Monkeytown Records), Horst Weidenmüller (founder and CEO, !K7 Records), Bettina Dorn (Director Brand Partnership Central Europe, Warner Music Group) and Michael Kramer, founder and managing director of BrundX.

The DMV “Deutscher Musikverleger-Verband e.V.” is an association representing the interests of music publishers throughout the German Federal Republic. Representing over 400 music publishers, the association acts for about 90% of music publishers active in Germany. In the past business-year (2013) the DMV member-companies reached total revenues of 590 million euro (2012: 588 million euro).

Apart from the so called “paper-business”, the printing and distribution of sheet music, (about 10 % of the total revenues of the music publishing companies) further revenue-sources for the publishers direct are rights and licenses for advertising, music in films etc. . The main share of turnover is made from the income from those rights that GEMA is taking care of for the national and international authors and publishers.