American performing rights organisation BMI today announced a contract with Shazam Entertainment, the pioneering UK-based audio technology company. The partnership will enable BMI, which distributed more performing right royalties than any other society in the world last year, to enhance airplay measurement.
The contract is an important milestone for Shazam, illustrating the company's commitment to the broadcast monitoring industry.
Using its proprietary music recognition and identification technology,Shazam will add a significant new tool to BMI's ability to provide accurate and efficient airplay reporting and royalty distribution. Its technology, which currently has a number of patents pending, captures a 'fingerprint' of a song or recorded sound and compares it against database to automatically identify recorded content as it airs.
BMI will use the airplay data provided by Shazam together with its existing sample and census information to distribute royalties from the public performances of its repertoire of approximately 4.5 million compositions - including radio airplay, broadcast and cable television carriage, Internet and other recorded performances - to the American creators it represents.
BMI conducted a year-long series of extensive trials, comparing Shazam's technology with its competitors. It found that Shazam can monitor with a signal to noise ratio of up to -9db, a level unprecedented anywhere else in the industry. With the support of one of the world's largest music databases, Shazam's response time is measured in milliseconds. BMI's trials revealed an accuracy of in excess of 99%,whether the size of the database is in the thousands or in the millions.
The first phase of the system's roll out will see BMI monitor hundreds of sources. Shazam will provide a system that is resilient to distortion in broadcast transmission, speed-up or signal manipulation.It will also support the system integration and oversee operations on an ongoing basis.
John Cody, Chief Operating Officer at BMI, said, "The implementation of a technology of this kind, to allow us to monitor airplay with maximum efficiency and accuracy, will play an important role in the continuing transformation of our business for the digital age."
"In order to select the best technology, we conducted widespread tests on alternative recognition systems. We found Shazam's technology to be excellent - it provided not only a near-perfect level of accuracy, but it was also faster than all other competitors"
Jerry Roest, CEO of Shazam Entertainment, said, "Existing data gathering techniques to date have not provided Performance Rights Organisation with the necessary control over their businesses. Using our proprietary technology, BMI can take advantage of comprehensive,accurate, timely and reliable airplay data, maintaining its position as the most comprehensive and accurate airplay measurement authority among PRos."
"We are delighted to be announcing our partnership with BMI today. The reputation of the organisation, and the fact they have chosen our technology, reflects the confidence we have in our ability to provide superior service.
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We look forward to announcing additional contracts, both in America and internationally, in the near future."
Shazam already boasts a world's first in mobile music recognition technology.
Since its launch in August 2002, it has successfully introduced consume service into several countries round the world, which allows music fans to use their mobile phone to identify any track using just their handset. After listening to a music clip lasting just a few seconds, Shazam sends the user an SMS with the title and artist fromits vast music database. In the UKalone, the reference databasecomprises 1.8 million tracks.
About BMI
Founded in 1939, BMI is an American performing rights organization thatrepresents more than 300,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers in all genres of music. Through its music performance and reciprocal agreements with sister organizations around the world, it grants businesses and media access to its repertoire of approximately4.5 million songs and compositions.
About Shazam Entertainment
Shazam Entertainment boasts a world's first in music recognition technology.
The company's core strength is audio recognition, based on a technology invented and developed exclusively for Shazam. The company has filed a number of patents to protect its intellectual property.
Since the company's UK launch in August last year, the service allows music fans to use their mobile phone to identify any track using just their handset. In the UKalone, consumers have 'tagged' over 3 million tracks.
Shazam has already begun establishing a global footprint and has achieved multiple deals with international mobile operators and media companies throughout Europe and Asia. These deals will mean that Shazam's technology will be available to around 1 billion mobile users worldwide.
Shazam's successes have been recognised through several awards,including: Best New Mobile Service at the Mobile Choice Awards, Best innovation at the BT Openworld Interactive Music Awards, Web Innovation of the Year at the Future UK Internet Awards, Best start-up at the revolution Awards, an Ericsson Mobile Application Award, and the MediaWeek Response Campaign of the year.
Investors in the company include IDG Ventures Europe (part of IDG - the world's largest IT media company), Lynx New Media (a Virgin & BearStearns company), Sir Colin Southgate (former CEO and Chairman of EMI Group), Phil Wiser (CTO Sony Music), and John Preston (former Chairman of BMG UK and BPI).
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