New music website that’s breaking the sound barrier!

New internet-based company, Media Music Now, is helping businesses and media companies with an innovative way to avoid performing rights issues – whilst making sure the artists receive a fair wage.

Launched in January this year, the Cheshire company has tied up with Manchester law firm, Laytons, to produce a unique type of licence. Existing music licensing is complicated and confusing about where and when music can be used and conventional royalty payments often prevent smaller companies from using music in the way they would like.

Ex-sound engineer turned entrepreneur, Lee Pritchard, has vowed to provide media developers and website owners with a source of quality-checked, more affordable music, without the hassle of royalty issues.

“The high royalty charges for PRS act as a barrier for music users but at the same time “royalty-free” music often gets a bad rep. because it’s not considered to be of high enough quality,” explains Media Music Now’s Director, Lee Pritchard.

“By sourcing original music and working directly with independent composers, artists and bands, we can sell music directly from the website, without the involvement of conventional royalty collecting societies, such as PRS and MCPS.

The music is still copyrighted but with our system, everyone wins: the artists are paid direct, so they don’t lose out to the collection agencies and the customer can buy a quality piece of music for a modest price that they can use as many times as they like, on a variety of media - all for the one fee.

Media and communication technology are advancing rapidly, so I believe it’s high time for music to be accessible to all - regardless of company size…”

End of Release

Produced by Microfold Ltd. 2006

Other formats

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Notes for Editors

Background information:

Website is: www.MediaMusicNow.com
The company was officially launched January 2006.
(Preparation started in July 2005.) Headquartered in Altrincham, Cheshire

Main Areas of Activity:

To provide media developers and website owners with affordable music without royalty complications.

Abbreviations:

PRS – Performing Rights Society
MCPS – Mechanical Copyright Protection Society

Additional Information

Music makers have a personal mini-site and can attract commissioned work through the site.
The company is developing an on-line library and currently has approx. 700 tracks.
Lee provided the background music for the Manchester arts show in Oct 2005, at MICC before the website was live. (More info at http://www.manchesterartshow.co.uk/
Media Music Now has recently won a grant under the Creative Industries Development Fund from Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council http://www.trafford.gov.uk/cme/live/cme2778.htm
Media Music Now has teamed up with Duo Webdesign http://www.duodesign.co.uk/ to provide their technology and hosting services and has accepted them as shareholders in the company.