News

 

  • WQED LICENSES MUSIC FOR THE SHANGHAILANDERS: A JOURNEY TO THE UNKNOWN

  • CMG WORKS WITH HARVARD CHINESE ART MEDIA LAB

  • RALEIGH MUSIC LICENSES CMG CATALOG FOR FIND FOREIGN MUSIC

  • CMG EXTENDS ITS AGREEMENT WITH THE CANADIAN MUSEUM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

  • PRESCRIPTIVE MUSIC OF CANADA TO FEATURE CMG CATALOG IN PLAYLISTS

  • CHINA MUSIC GROUP AND TRACKLIB SIGN JOINT PUBLISHING AND MASTER LICENSING AGREEMENT

  • CMG LICENSES MUSIC FOR THE FILM “CRAZY RICH ASIANS”

  • CMG LICENSES “MEDITAION IN AUTMN” TO WEINSTEIN COMPANY

  • CMG LINKS UP WITH THE TEXAX EDUCATION AGENCY

  • “YINHUA MOUNTAIN” TO BE USED IN UPCOMING FILM “NOW YOU SEE ME: THE SECOND ACT”

  • SYNC AND MASTER LICENSE GRANTED TO UNIVERSAL TELEVISION FOR USE IN TV SERIES “MASTER OF NONE”

  • ORCHARD BECOMES CHINA MUSIC GROUP’S EXCLUSIVE DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION AGGREGATOR

  • CHINA MUSIC GROUP AND VIETTEL TELECOM CORPORATION INK MAJOR DEAL FOR THE VIETNAM TELECOM MARKET

  • CMG AND GODIGITAL GROUP ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP FOR YOUTUBE COLLECTIONS

  • CMG PARTNERS WITH THE SHANGHAI RESTORATION PROJECT

  • CMG LICENSES TWO COMPOSITIONS FOR UPCOMING WARNER BROTHERS FILM “GANGSTER SQUAD”

  • CHINA MUSIC GROUP REBORN WITH NEW JOHNNY ENGLISH FILM

  • CMG WORKS WITH HARVARD CHINESE ART MEDIA LAB

  • China Music Group is Formed as a Division of China Media Ventures

  • CRC Jianian Releases Featured on Starbucks Year of The Rabbit CD

  • CRC Jianian and DMX Inc Announce Exclusive Music Programming Partnership

  • MIDEM 2008

  • CRC Jianian and Shazam Enter Into Agreement

  • Ministry of Culture Letter to CRC Jianian

  • Billboard Interviews Ministry of Culture

  • Government Shows Support for Music Made in China

  • CRC Jianian Midem 07 Cocktail Party

  • Kobalt Administers CRC Jianian Catalog

  • BMI to Represent CRC Jianian Catalog

  • CRC Jianian Joint Venture Announcement

  • Piracy Reigns as Hot MIDEM Topic

  • China and AIM Group Agreement

  • Shanghai Jazz Festival

  • Attorney Is Singing China’s Song

  • China State Label

  • AIM Group Signs with China Record Corporation

  • CMG WORKS WITH HARVARD CHINESE ART MEDIA LAB
  •  
     
     

       
     

    WQED LICENSES MUSIC FOR THE SHANGHAILANDERS: A JOURNEY TO THE UNKNOWN

    June 1, 2020

    WQED, the PBS member station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has licensed “Rose, Rose, I Love You,” written by Chen Gexin and performed by Yao Li for its upcoming television program “The Shanghailanders: A Journey to the Unknown.”
     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    CMG WORKS WITH HARVARD CHINESE ART MEDIA LAB

    March 5, 2020
    CMG has licensed “Yellow Soil High Hill,” written by Su Yue and performed by An Wen for
    worldwide educational and film festival use for a documentary tentatively entitled “To The
    Moon,” about modern ink painting artist Liu Kuo-sung.
     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    RALEIGH MUSIC LICENSES CMG CATALOG FOR FIND FOREIGN MUSIC

    September 16, 2019

    Raleigh Music has entered into a non-exclusive master and composition licensing agreement with China Music Group and will feature its entire catalog in their new website catering to music supervisors, findforeignmusic.com. The website has an easy-to-use interface for anyone seeking to license world music from around the world.
     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    CMG EXTENDS ITS AGREEMENT WITH THE CANADIAN MUSEUM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

    July 17, 2019

    CMG has extended its license for several compositions for use with the Canadian Museum’s website, print and electronic publications as well as public exhibitions. The original agreement with the museum was entered into July 15, 2014 and has been extended through March of 2020 due to the overwhelming success of the exhibition in which the music was placed.

     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    PRESCRIPTIVE MUSIC OF CANADA TO FEATURE CMG CATALOG IN PLAYLISTS

    August 31, 2018

    Canadian-based Prescriptive Music has entered into an agreement with CMG to provide selections from its catalog to be included in its playlists being developed by a team of programmers in Toronto and Los Angeles. Their site can be accessed at rxmusic.com.
     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    CHINA MUSIC GROUP AND TRACKLIB SIGN JOINT PUBLISHING AND MASTER LICENSING AGREEMENT

    March 1, 2018

    The entire CMG catalog will be available for licensing through the Tracklib portal, which can be accessed at tracklib.com. The portal is designed to make sampling compositions easy, affordable, and legal, and Tracklib works with a number of well-known producers and remixers, including Ludacris, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and Questlove, among others.

     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    CMG LICENSES MUSIC FOR THE FILM “CRAZY RICH ASIANS”

    January 24, 2018

    CMG is proud to announce that two compositions and master recordings from its catalog will be prominently featured in the upcoming film “Crazy Rich Asians,” “Blooming Flowers and the Full Moon,” and “The Evening Primrose.” The film is scheduled for wide release on August 7, 2018.

     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    CMG LICENSES “MEDITAION IN AUTMN” TO WEINSTEIN COMPANY

    March 22, 2018

    “Meditation in Autumn,” composed by Guo Ying and performed by Fan Shange has been licensed for worldwide rights in a sync license for the motion picture “The Current War,” a film starring Benedict Cumberbatch about the competition between Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse over which electrical power delivery system would be used in the United States.

     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    CMG LINKS UP WITH THE TEXAX EDUCATION AGENCY

    November 21, 2016

    CMG has provided music to be incorporated into the Texas Educator Certification Program, to be published by the Educational Testing Service, including the famous Peking Opera piece “Farewell to my Concubine” performed by Yang Chunxia.

     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    “YINHUA MOUNTAIN” TO BE USED IN UPCOMING FILM “NOW YOU SEE ME: THE SECOND ACT”

    March 14, 2016

    Lionsgate has licensed the CMG composition and master for “Yinhua Mountain,” written and performed by Luo Jin for the upcoming film starring Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo and Woody Harrelson and directed by Jon Chu. The film is scheduled to be released in June.

     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    SYNC AND MASTER LICENSE GRANTED TO UNIVERSAL TELEVISION FOR USE IN TV SERIES “MASTER OF NONE”

    December 5, 2015

    CMG has licensed a number of compositions to be used in the popular comedy “Master of None,” starring comedian Aziz Ansari, also to be used in an upcoming Netflix production.

     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    ORCHARD BECOMES CHINA MUSIC GROUP’S EXCLUSIVE DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION AGGREGATOR

    April 30, 2014

    CMG has signed on with Orchard to represent it in all online sales of the masters in its catalog. Orchard is an aggregator of content that operates in more than 40 markets around the world and monetizes countless digital platforms including Itunes.

     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    CHINA MUSIC GROUP AND VIETTEL TELECOM CORPORATION INK MAJOR DEAL FOR THE VIETNAM TELECOM MARKET

    November 14, 2014

    CMG’s entire catalog will be available for download, ringtones, and ringbacks through Viettel Telecom. Viettel Group is the largest telecommunications service provider in Vietnam and is a state-owned enterprise based in Hanoi.

     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    CMG AND GODIGITAL GROUP ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP FOR YOUTUBE COLLECTIONS

    December 9, 2013

    Godigital Media Group will collect on YouTube usage of the CMG catalog through its Adshare platform in a rev share agreement signed by Go Digital CEO Jason Peterson and CMG chairman Frank Mayor.

     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    CMG PARTNERS WITH THE SHANGHAI RESTORATION PROJECT

    January 7, 2013

    The Shanghai Restoration Project, the contemporary electronic music duo of Chinese Americans Dave Liang and Sun Yunfan, will cover a number of old Shanghai jazz band masters of the 1930s in the China Music Group catalog on their upcoming record releases, with profits to be split between the parties. SRP has been instrumental in popularizing classical Chinese music to younger music fans, and have a large following in both China and the US.

     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    CMG LICENSES TWO COMPOSITIONS FOR UPCOMING WARNER BROTHERS FILM “GANGSTER SQUAD”

    December 7, 2012

    “Evening Primrose” and “Apricot Flowers Blooming” have been licensed to Warner Brothers for the upcoming film “Gangster Squad,” starring Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling, and Emma Stone, due to be released in January of the new year.

     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    CHINA MUSIC GROUP REBORN WITH NEW JOHNNY ENGLISH FILM

    September 15, 2011

    “Johnny English Reborn,” the third installment in the Johnny English film series, starring Rowan Atkinson, produced by Studio Canal, Relativity Media and Working Title Films and distributed by Universal Pictures, has licensed the CMG composition “End of Bachelorhood,” composed by Wang Yougui and performed by Li Xiaowen for use in the film, which is set to be released next month.

     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    CMG WORKS WITH HARVARD CHINESE ART MEDIA LAB

    March 5, 2020

    CMG has licensed “Yellow Soil High Hill,” written by Su Yue and performed by An Wen for worldwide educational and film festival use for a documentary tentatively entitled “To The Moon,” about modern ink painting artist Liu Kuo-sung.
     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    CHINA MUSIC GROUP IS FORMED AS A DIVISION OF CHINA MEDIA VENTURES

    January 10, 2011

    CEO Frank Mayor has announced the formation of CHINA MUSIC GROUP (CMG) as a division of CHINA MEDIA VENTURES. The newly formed company will combine the operations of CRC JIANIAN INC., a joint venture with China Records Corporation (CRC), and CHINA MUSIC PUBLISHING, a company co-owned with the Music Copyright Society of China (MCSC). CMG will collect publishing royalties worldwide outside of China for CRC and in North and South America for MCSC, as well as license CRC’s extensive library of master recordings.

     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    CRC JIANIAN RELEASES FEATURED ON STARBUCKS YEAR OF THE RABBIT CD

    December 15, 2010

    CRC Jianian music is featured prominently on Starbucks’ upcoming tribute to the Chinese New Year entitled “World is China,” which will be available at its stores and online in February 2011 at:
    Starbucks website
     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    CRC JIANIAN AND DMX INC ANNOUNCE EXCLUSIVE MUSIC PROGRAMMING PARTNERSHIP

    July 31, 2009
    DMX and CRC JIANIAN have entered into an exclusive agreement for DMX programming to feature the music catalog of the China Record Corporation, which will help accentuate the current “World” music programs that DMX delivers to retail, hospitality, and restaurant clients throughout North America. The catalog is so vast that DMX has created a dedicated channel to exclusively feature the traditional music of China. This programming will allow DMX’ subscribers to access the best and most exclusive selection of Chinese music today.

    “Incorporating forward thinking strategies is an essential function in terms of modernizing this historic catalog,” said Tobias J. Record, Executive Director of CRC Jianian. “DMX has an unparalleled record of success and, coupled with their total sensory experience, helps CRC form cultural bridges between East & West while exponentially creating licensing opportunities across multiple platforms.”
     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    MIDEM 2008

    January 27, 2008

    For the past two years, CRC Jianian welcomed officials from the Ministry of Culture to MIDEM, the world’s largest international music market held every year in Cannes, France. This year, the Culture Ministry is sponsoring China as the official spotlight country of MIDEM, hosting the Opening Night Gala and Concert! CRC Jianian is proud to be sharing in this exciting event!

    More than 35 Chinese companies will participate in the China Pavilion which makes this the largest Chinese music contingency to get together outside of China ever!

    The event will include a Press Conference, a moderated panel dedicated to topics about China, a VIP Cocktail Party with the Ministry of Culture and an Opening Night Concert Gala featuring great artists and bands from the Mainland!

    Visit CRC Jianian at the China Pavilion – Riviera Hall R38.05
     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    CRC JIANIAN AND SHAZAM ENTER INTO AGREEMENT

    November 27, 2007
     
    CRC Jianian and Shazam recently entered into an agreement to distribute CRC Jianian’s music catalog through Shazam’s worldwide network. Shazam and CRC Jianian together will continue to bring the music of China to the international marketplace.

    Shazam Entertainment is a privately held company headquartered in London. The company’s music recognition service boasts over 3 million tracks which date back to the early 1950s. The Shazam service is one of very few truly innovative and compelling mobile data applications that are available for today’s basic wireless technologies: voice and SMS. Additionally, they have launched a complimentary music search service, which provides users with an additional way to access a wealth of music information and an opportunity to purchase relevant products and services. Available both on web and WAP portals, users can purchase mobile content (ringtones, wallpaper etc), full track music downloads and CD’s.
     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    Ministry of Culture Letter to CRC Jianian

    Februrary 6, 2007

     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    BILLBOARD FEB 2007 – SIX QUESTIONS WITH CHEN TONG

     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    GOVERNMENT SHOWS SUPPORT FOR MUSIC MADE IN CHINA

     

     
     
     

       
     

    CRC Jianian MIDEM 2007 COCKTAIL PARTY

    JANUARY 23, 2007

    Officials with the People’s Republic of China’s Ministry of Culture attend their first MIDEM with executives from their joint-venture record label, CRC Jianian.

    From left to right are:
    Chairman CRC Jianian, Li Xiaoping; VP Music CRC Jianian, Jackie Subeck; Billboard senior correspondent, Susan Butler; Billboard London bureau chief, Mark Sutherland; Dept of Cultural Market Administration head delegate/deputy-directory general, Fu Yan Mei; CEO CRC Jianian, Frank Mayor; VP International CRC Jianian, Nana Lee; Bureau of External Culture Relations section of African Affairs counselor, Liu Dongsheng; Dept of Cultural Market Administration head of inspection and guidance, Chen Xiao Wen; Dept of Cultural Market Administration head of audio and video, Chen Tong; Bureau of Ministry of Propaganda of CCP project manager, Jiang Jianmin; Dept of Cultural Market Administration project manager of audio and video, Li Xiao Yong; Dept of Planning and Finance section of Composite Statistics staffer, He Yi.

     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    KOBALT ADMINISTRATES THE MUSIC OF CHINA AND EXPANDS REPRESENTATION INTO MAINLAND CHINA – SIGNS NEW DEAL WITH CRC Jianian

    May 8, 2006

    LOS ANGELES — Kobalt Music Group has concluded an exclusive, long-term agreement with CRC Jianian Cultural Development Co. Ltd. (CRC Jianian) to administrate the company’s publishing rights, including the China Record Corporation’s 65,000-title catalog, for the world excluding China. Reciprocally, Kobalt and CRC Jianian have signed an exclusive agreement for the representation of Kobalt’s catalog in mainland China.

    The CRC Jianian catalog includes songs by contemporary Chinese artists in the pop, rock, dance, electronica and fusion genres, as well as traditional Chinese ethnic, opera and folk music, spanning some 5,000 years of Chinese musical history. Commented Willard Ahdritz, Kobalt CEO and Founder: “Kobalt is honored to be chosen to handle this unique catalog. We are convinced that we will be able to take it to another level of exploitation and collections. CRC Jianian has an excellent position in China, and our new relationship will, for certain copyrights, allow us to work our global hits more actively in the burgeoning Chinese market.” “This is an amazing opportunity for both our companies,” said Peter Jansson, President of CRC Jianian. “Kobalt has essentially ‘built a better mousetrape’ for the music publishing industry worldwide, and we are both proud and fortunate to have them represent such an important catalog internationally.”
    About CRC Jianian CRC Jianian Cultural Development Co. Ltd. is a joint venture partnership between AIM Group LLC, PanPacific Ventures, Inc. and China Record Corporation, the oldest and largest government-owned record label in mainland China. The joint venture has headquarters in Beijing with offices also in Los Angeles. The company’s business model incorporates worldwide music publishing and digital distribution, music from film and television productions in China and the US, including new artist development, and will subsequently lead to the creation of a stable and viable music publishing and digital distribution network within the mainland. In 2006, CRC Jianian will be announcing the signings of several Chinese contemporary artists in addition to a roster of foreign catalogs for sub-publishing and distribution within China. With 67 million in overseas Chinese populations around the globe, there is increasing interest and demand for Chinese music. CRC is remixing the CRC catalog into dance, ambient and chill-out genres thereby breathing a new life into the catalog for global distribution.

    About Kobalt Music Group With offices in London, New York, Nashville, Los Angeles, Berlin and Stockholm, Kobalt Music Group (Kobalt) is a global, independent music publisher offering administrative and creative services to writers, publishers and other publishing rights holders. As the fastest growing music publisher in the world and a Top 10 UK publisher, Kobalt has become recognized as the new publishing model, fast attracting major writers and artists and publishing companies. Kobalt’s unique and modern, centralized royalty collection infrastructure is based on direct relationships with collection societies and a unique proprietary technology which enables clients to receive faster delivery of revenues and information in a transparent and efficient manner. Kobalt Music Group’s clients include: Gwen Stefani, 8 Mile Style, Max Martin, Desmond Child, Billy Steinberg, Richard Ashcroft, Editors, The Hives, Dr. Luke, Nine Inch Nails, Sanctuary Music Publishing, Ric Wake, EverGreen Copyrights, Tony Kanal, UB40, Tears For Fears, Air-Edel Music, Axl Rose, B-Unique Music, Rami, Arnthor Birgisson, Antony Hegarty (of Antony and the Johnsons), Badly Drawn Boy, Cal IV Music, Integrated Copyright Group, Bill Wyman, Wet Wet Wet, Teddy Riley, Denzil Foster, Dennis Matkosky, Ignition Music, Big Life, James Brown and many others.

     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    BMI PACTS WITH CRC FOR REPRESENTATION OF VAST CATALOG OF CHINESE MUSIC

    February 1, 2005

    BMI has reached an agreement to represent the performing rights to a vast catalog of Chinese music that has never been exposed to world markets. The agreement was signed between CRC Jianian Cultural Development, a company charged with exploiting to the world the publishing and mechanical rights of the state-controlled China Record Corp. CRC Jianian also will manage the use of Western copyrights in China. The BMI agreement marks the first time any of the songs have been registered with any performing rights society in the world.
    The CRC catalog includes 65,000 albums and 757,000 individual musical compositions spanning 4,000 years of Chinese musical history, ranging from Chinese opera and folk songs to national orchestras and contemporary rock and pop material. It also includes film music, including material from the international hits “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” “In The Mood For Love” and “Farewell My Concubine.”

    BMI President and CEO Del Bryant expressed enthusiasm over the growth potential for Chinese composers in the U.S. “We’re extremely pleased that BMI was chosen to represent the performing rights of the [CRC] in the United States,” said Bryant. “The explosion of interest in Chinese music and culture in our country is self-evident and presents enormous possibilities for the dynamic growth in the exploitation of works by Chinese composers here in the U.S. . . . We hope that this will also foster an understanding that the rights of American composers should be appropriately protected in China,” Bryant said, “and we look forward to working with our new partners to fully develop these new business traditions.” Bryant also indicated that former BMI President Frances W. Preston, now serving as a consultant to BMI, would, due to her extensive travel in China and understanding of its culture, serve as the primary contact in the ongoing relationship with CRC.
     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    CHINA AND AMERICA PARTNER TO GLOBALLY DISTRIBUTE CHINESE MUSIC

    January 16, 2005

    The President and CEO of Los Angeles based AIM Group, Mr. Frank Mayor, and President and CEO of Los Angeles based PanPacific Ventures, Inc., Mr. Peter Jansson, have officially announced the formation of CRC JIANIAN CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT CO. LTD., a newly created joint venture partnership between AIM Group, LLC, PanPacific Ventures, Inc. and China Record Corporation (CRC), the oldest and largest government-owned record label in mainland China. The joint venture is being funded by AIM Group and will have offices in Los Angeles and Beijing, as well as representation in four other major Chinese cities including Shanghai.

    CRC Jianian owns the exclusive worldwide rights to publish and distribute the music of China, which includes CRC’s 60,000-title catalog of traditional Chinese ethnic and folk music. The company’s business model incorporates film, television and music productions in China, including new artist development, and will subsequently lead to the creation of a stable and viable distribution network within the mainland. In addition, the company will utilize its close relationship with the Beijing Olympic Committee and other Chinese governmental entities in presenting premiere musical and cultural events during the 2008 Olympic Games to be held in Beijing.
    CRC Jianian is the charter Publisher member of China’s Performing and Mechanical Rights Society, MCSC (Music Copyright Society of China) and is perfectly situated to help guide and shape the Chinese music industry towards establishing a standard set by other leading societies around the world, ultimately building a strategic and globally-recognized infrastructure within mainland China. As the only Publisher member of MCSC to date, CRC Jianian has the unique opportunity to represent and sub-publish any and all music catalogs from around the world and the ability to collect all types of copyright royalties effectively, efficiently and legitimately within mainland China.
     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    PIRACY REIGNS AS HOT MIDEM TOPIC

    February 1, 2003 | Billboard By Gordon Masson

    Also significant was the presence of the Chinese, who visited MIDEM for the very first time to deliver the message that China’s music market is open and ready to welcome foreign investors to capitalize on the potential of the world’s most populous country.

    Daxin Zhao, GM of state-owned China Record Corp. (CRC), said his nation’s acceptance in the World Trade Organization has led to strengthened copyright laws. The government is actively seeking foreign investors to drive China’s music industry.

    Pulay Talent Agency chairman Gary Chen said, The music industry is a numbers game, and one thing that China has is huge numbers. But Chen added that China is missing two vital ingredients: specialist retailers and music publishers. He said, There are tremendous opportunities for foreign partners in these sectors.

    In a related development, Los Angeles-based consulting and licensing company AIM signed a joint venture at MIDEM with CRC to market the Chinese label’s 60.000 title catalog in the U.S. and Europe.
    Meanwhile, U.K. trip-hop band Morcheeba confirmed plans to tour China. The move follows an invitation from cultural-relations body the British Council, which is launching a series of arts events in China. Morcheeba’s eight-date tour begins March 3 with two free shows in Chongqing (see Global Music Pulse, page 55).

    Commenting on China’s fledging music market, MIDEM CEO Paul Zilk said, The Chinese are delighted to be here. It’s their first time, but they’ve already put forward a proposal to us to consider taking the MIDEM brand to Shanghai. We’ve also received a similar proposal from Jamaica, and it’s a proposal I would like to explore taking the MIDEM brand around the world.

    Zilk reported that overall attendance at this year’s MIDEM was down from last year’s 9,000 to between 8,700 and 8,800. The number of countries here fell to 92 from 94 last year, but encouragingly, the number of U.S. companies was up 7.8% to 2,140, an increase of 155 companies from last year.

    We’ve also had more Americans than last year, Zilk said, with the total number U.S. companies up by 17% to 617, while Canada and Australia also had healthy increases of 24% and 33% respectively. The music industry is going through a tough time, but the feedback I’ve had from people this year at MIDEM is that they are all still signing deals and doing business, Zilk concluded. And I don’t believe that MIDEM as an event has hit its potential, so we’ll continue working hard with our partners in the city of Cannes to improve our service to our clients and create better value for the music industry going forward.

    Additional reporting by Lars Brandle, Paul Sexton, and Emmanuel Legrand in Cannes.

    <-- –>
     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    CHINA TUNES UP WITH AIM

    December 21, 2003 | Variety.com

    CANNES – State-owned China Record Shanghai Corp. has signed a groundbreaking deal with L.A. publishers AIM Group to break Chinese talent in U.S. and Europe, in a pact brokered at music confab Midem. AIM will market CRSC’s 60,000-strong catalog of titles while Western artists will get the chance of exposure in China in a long-term relationship “We are keen for Chinese music to go abroad and for the outside world to have contact with the Chinese music industry,” CRSC general manager Zhao Daxin said. China’s first trip to Midem was recognized by this year’s conference “Music Business in China–New, Big and Undiscovered.”

    Speakers, including Gary Ge Chen of Pulay Talent Agency, Modern Sky CEO Lihui Shen, New Style’s Timothy Xu and Daxin agreed that a lot of work needed to be done in China to better regulate copyright protection and publishing to boost the creative industry — both for local repertoire and imports. The China deal wasn’t the only one that augured well for music from the Asia region. Taiwan revealed a major effort to invest in the music industry in its country, to diversify its income streams away from manufacturing.

    Some $2 million will be used to build the first national audiovisual database that will be maintained by the government. The database will be available free to all sectors of the industry. Joseph Lee, of the Taiwan government information office, said, “We want to create opportunities for increased employment, to stimulate local production coming from the audiovisual sector.”


     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    AIM GROUP, LLC and EAST ENTERTAINMENT, LTD. TO PRESENT THE 1st ANNUAL SHANGHAI JAZZ FESTIVAL 2004

    September 9, 2003

    Los Angeles based AIM GROUP, LLC has teamed up with EAST ENTERTAINMENT, LTD., a division of WENHUI XINMIN UNITED PRESS GROUP, one of the largest media conglomerates in China, to produce THE 1st ANNUAL SHANGHAI JAZZ FESTIVAL. The festival will be held in Shanghai from MAY 4 to MAY 8, 2004 and will feature world famous jazz musicians including many Chinese, European, and American artists.

    This event marks the first time in over 50 years that such a gathering of international status will take place in the city of Shanghai and will be launched with the priority to promote jazz culture in the city. Various music-related activities will also be launched during the festival including seminars and workshops during May 4th?s International Youth Day.
    In 2002 AIM Group was appointed worldwide agent to CHINA RECORD CORPORATION, the Chinese government-owned record company and will be spearheading the event from the U.S. Together with Shanghai-based East Entertainment, the two companies are currently assembling a team of top-notch music industry professionals on both continents to assist in the planning of the festival, as well as lining up a magnificent roster of artists to participate in the event.

    AIM Group President FRANK MAYOR, Vice President, JACKIE SUBECK, and Beijing foreign consultant UDO HOFFMANN of LogistiX Integrated Communication are currently negotiating corporate sponsorships for the festival.

    **PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS EVENT WAS CANCELLED DUE TO THE OUTBREAK OF SARS IN CHINA**


     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    ATTORNEY IS SINGING CHINA’S SONG

    December 20, 2002 | The Hollywood Reporter By Jesse Hiestand

    Frank Mayor spent 17 years making contacts and in-roads in the cloistered world of Chinese media. The persistence paid off last month when Mayor’s Los Angeles-based AIM Group LLC secured the exclusive worldwide rights to license and distribute the audio and video catalog of the country’s state-run China Record Corp. Mayor recently discussed his experiences in the Chinese media market with The Hollywood Reporter business reporter Jesse Hiestand.

    THR: WHAT WAS IT LIKE IN 1985 WHEN YOU FIRST MADE CONTACTS IN THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT’S MINISTRY OF BROADCASTING?

    MAYOR: They were very solidified in their ways and I made some preliminary inquiries about cooperating with them. I was pretty much told that they were not interested and I just persevered throughout the years.

    THR: ANY PARTICULAR REASON FOR THE RESISTANCE?

    MAYOR: It wasn’t so much resistance as it was very centralized and part of the government and these were all just people taking their orders from up on high and there was no interest in interacting with the outside world.

    THR: CAN YOU DESCRIBE SOME OF THOSE FIRST CONTACTS?

    MAYOR: The facilities themselves were very modern. Radio broadcasting is a very centrally located building in Beijing and I was the first foreigner to set foot in there. Security was extremely tight–this is going back a few years. I remember people having submachine guns and people frisking me. It’s loosened up since then.

    THR: WHAT SPARKED THE CHANGE?

    MAYOR: Obviously there’s huge interest by foreign companies to get into China, which is one of the last few huge markets out there. Not only has it become much wealthier but obviously since they joined the World Trade Organization they’ve been sort of forced to adhere to international standards of trade and that of course includes a lot of the copyright laws and standards.

    THR: HOW IS THE BUSINESS CLIMATE IN CHINA NOW?

    MAYOR: It’s much more open now that it’s much less centralized. In fact, the government has essentially privatizing a lot of the large government corporations including China Record Corp. They way they do this is issue shares to some of the leading executives and give them a mandate to expand the business and basically cut them free from the central government. It’s only happened in the last six months or so that they actually have a mandate now to deal with foreign companies and to essentially go out and make money on their own without getting top-level approval.

    THR: DOES THIS AFFECT ALL TYPES OF MEDIA?

    MAYOR: Essentially in the last six months the ministry of culture has cut everyone free and does not really monitor the entire situation. Each company–the television networks, people making movies and music industry–are free to basically pursue whatever business they choose.

    THR: WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO PURSUE THESE OPPORTUNITIES?

    MAYOR: It is certainly key to have contacts with the government. That’s a big part of it. There’s a lot of companies that want to get into China but really don’t have a first clue on how to do it. Obviously my fortune is that I have the contacts that I’ve developed over the years and I’ve stuck with them for a long time and that gives me an edge over a lot of other people in terms of access.

    THR: PART OF THAT TRUST WAS EARNED BY ADVISING CHINESE MUSIC EXECUTIVES OVER THE YEARS. ON WHAT TOPICS?

    MAYOR: They’ve tried on occasion to work with the outside world, tried to do licensing deals and the time was never right for them. Obviously they’re a little naive in terms of international business being that they’ve never had to make a profit for all this time. They’ve essentially had government budgets that they’ve spent and they need some guidance in that sense.

    THR: WHAT ADVISE DO YOU HAVE FOR WESTERN MEDIA COMPANIES TRYING TO BREAK INTO THE CHINESE MARKET?

    MAYOR: It’s very important to be on top of what’s happening legally. To give you some idea of the myriad laws that are being passed, in terms of copyright you’re dealing with the National Peoples Congress, which is the top legislative body of China. Under them is the State Council, which basically enacts the laws. Then there’s the Supreme Peoples Court, which does judicial interpretation, the interestingly named Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress on Punishing Crimes of Infringement on Copyright–that’s an official name. There’s the Central Administration of Customs, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation and the Ministry of Culture. There are many government agencies that are in one way or another involved in copyright and protecting entertainment properties and it’s important to have contacts in all of these agencies.

    THR: SO THE CHINESE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT OPENING THEIR MARKETS TO WESTERN MEDIA?

    MAYOR: There’s a huge opening and next year will see numerous changes happen. You can follow the news in terms of the big companies that are moving in. You have Universal Studios, which is going to open a theme park in Shanghai. You have Warner Bros. and Sony that are moving in, so a lot of activity will happen next year.

    THR: WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH THE WORLDWIDE LICENSING AND DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS TO THIS VAST COLLECTION OF CHINESE RECORDED MUSIC?

    MAYOR: We want to bring Chinese music to the world. We’re putting together a plan in terms of how we will release some of this to the public, license some of it. We’re also working with their (CRC’s) management company to bring Chinese artists to the U.S., particularly the cities where there’s large Asian communities. We’re also tied into the Beijing Olympics (in 2008) and CRC is going to be handling all the music for the Olympics so we’re hoping to get that together.

    THR: HOW GREAT IS THE OPPORTUNITY POSED BY CHINA’S MARKETS?

    MAYOR: It’s going to be huge. At this point even though the average urban Chinese may make only about $1,000 a month, this is a country where housing is essentially free and most people don’t have cars and there’s also a one-child policy. So essentially they have $1,000 disposable income to spend (every month).


     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    CHINA STATE LABEL RIGHTS GO TO AIM

    November 14, 2002 | The Hollywood Reporter By Jesse Hiestand

    China is opening the vaults of its state-run music label by granting worldwide licensing rights to Los Angeles-based AIM Group LLC. Founded 50 years ago, China Record Corp. has an audio and video library of more than 60,000 titles by about 5,000 artists. All told, the collection is said to represent the entire spectrum of Chinese music. “It’s essentially something frozen in time. Since the Communists took power, (CRC) has been a monopoly record company,” said AIM Group chief executive Frank Mayor, who worked for about a decade to secure the rights. “We’re actually their official agent so it’s more than being just a partner. They’ve pretty much pledged to do everything through us.”

    Initially, AIM Group will focus on licensing the music to film and television productions, with a particular emphasis on TV networks gearing up for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Plans are also under way to promote and distribute the Chinese music around the world, including the estimated 35 million Chinese who live abroad. Separately, the agreement seeks to make Western artists and smaller music catalogs available to Chinese audiences. AIM Group and CRC have already signed an agreement to feature San Diego-based world music group AO in the Olympic ceremonies.

    The agency agreement AIM Group and CRC, which did not involve the transfer of money, was recently signed by Mayor and CRC president Daxin Zhao. More than a record label, CRC also operates three CD/DVD manufacturing plants, a chain of retail stores, a film and TV company and several media publications. The reluctance of China’s Ministry of Broadcasting to foster ties to the outside world started to wane when the country joined the World Trade Organization a year ago, Mayor said. “As a result of that they’ve had to open up their markets to foreign companies, which include entertainment companies. Now (CRC) has competition, but it also has the Chinese mandating that they have to start making some money.”


     

     

     
     
     

       
     

    AIM GROUP LLC SIGNS EXCLUSIVE AGENCY AGREEMENT WITH CHINA RECORD CORPORATION

    November 12, 2002

    Los Angeles based AIM GROUP has been named as exclusive agent of CHINA RECORD CORPORATION, or CRC, the Chinese government record company. AIM GROUP CEO, FRANK MAYOR recently signed the agreement in Beijing with the President of CRC, DAXIN ZHAO, securing the worldwide rights to license and distribute CRC’s extensive audio and video catalog of over 60,000 titles by more than 5,000 artists. The collection encompasses almost the entire spectrum of historical and cultural Chinese music, song, opera, folk and local arts, and represents the vast and diverse culture of all of China’s regions and provinces within mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao.

    According to Mayor, whose relationship with CRC dates back to 1986, many of these masters are the only recordings of their kind, representing a valuable historical treasure of worldwide importance. “A primary focus of our marketing efforts will involve licensing the catalog to television networks in conjunction with the upcoming BEIJING OLYMPICS. In addition, CRC is actively seeking out Western artists and music catalogs for representation and distribution in China, for example, we recently signed a deal with CRC to feature the world music group, AO, as part of the Olympic ceremonies.”
    In business for over fifty years, CRC is a vast media conglomerate with over 3000 employees working out of offices in five mainland Chinese cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Shenzhen. CRC also owns three CD/DVD manufacturing facilities, a chain of retail stores, a film and television company, several media publications and an advertising division, and is the sole manufacturer of Microsoft Windows operating disks for all of China. “One of the advantages of dealing with a government company,” says Mayor, “is the built-in piracy protection, as well as unparalleled access to other Chinese entities, both in and out of the government.”

    Mayor has recently appointed JACKIE SUBECK as Vice President of Marketing and JASON DAUMAN as Vice President of Publishing. In addition, BOB PLESS has been tapped as Director of Information Systems. Says Mayor, “We have assembled a top-notch team and are excited by the numerous opportunities presented by our contract with CRC. We hope to have a long and lucrative relationship with both CRC and the Chinese government.”


     

     

    Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. Press ESC to cancel.

    Back To Top
    CHINA MEDIA VENTURES - Terms of Use - Privacy Policy - Contact Us 2020 China Music Group ALL RIGHTS RESERVED