Time to launch into stage three of my odyssey through the use of music in inflight entertainment (IFE).
Recently Kemplay Consulting joined APEX, the Airline Passenger Experience Association. APEX is a membership trade organization comprised of the world’s leading airlines, technical and other services suppliers, covering among other things the provision of IFE. See the link to learn more: APEX
This will allow us to provide services and continue to discuss with the IFE industry about the ongoing and new service types of music content. The last few years have seen a transformative change in the supply and licensing of music for use in IFE and it remains a challenging and complex area for airlines, their content service providers (CSPs) and music rights owners to step through. We will be providing services to airlines, CSPs, systems providers and music rights owners on the use of music in IFE services.
The journey of discovery began while I was at PRS for Music in 2011 and we began a ‘lifting the lid’ project on how airlines, with a particular focus on those in the Gulf States, were licensed for the use of music onboard. What we uncovered was that the licensing of music was incomplete, inconsistent, disparate and failing to meet the requirements of both the airline industry and music rights owners.
But where there is challenge there is also opportunity and I found myself well positioned to work with Global Eagle Entertainment, the world’s largest CSP provider of IFE services, to introduce industry defining new music rights licensing structures. It proved a fascinating and illuminating experience and gave me a deep understanding and insight into the licensing of music for IFE, the technical provision and delivery of music content to the airlines and the new ways music could be used on different media platforms through the whole travel experience.
And now for stage three and time to make use of the knowledge, experience and insight I have acquired and turn it into offering the following services:
Strategy –
Strategic guidance on the provision of music in IFE and the development of new music content services.
Licensing –
Expertise in defining music licensing requirements and delivering the best industry licensing solutions.
Music & Partnerships –
Working with labels and music content suppliers to look at new and more compelling ways to provide music content both within IFE and throughout the full travel experience.
Audit & Compliance –
In a continuing environment of challenge and potential exposure to liability, to carry out comprehensive audits and compliance reviews of the extent to which appropriate music licences are in place.
