By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief New Year's Day marked a major change in the music licensing industry, as the Mechanical Licensing Collective went live as part of the Music Modernization Act. The bill was passed in 2018 with the goal of bringing in more fair rules for the compensation of musicians and songwriters, and called for the establishment of a body to oversee … [Read more...] about Music Licensing Collective Goes Live
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Fashion Licensing Pioneer Ruth McCarthy Manton Dies at 95
Ruth McCarthy Manton, a pioneer in the business of fashion licensing, passed away at her home on Christmas Eve. Manton was also among the first female fashion journalists in the industry, but it was her innovative work after founding Aries Design Management that made her a force to be reckoned with in the licensing business. Manton's idea was to link up top designers directly … [Read more...] about Fashion Licensing Pioneer Ruth McCarthy Manton Dies at 95
Troubled JC Penney Searching For New CEO
JCPenney has survived the ups and downs of the economy for 118 years ... but whether it will survive much longer is open to question. The company now hopes new blood in the CEO suite will help JCPenney turn around a dire situation that saw the department store chain file for bankruptcy in May, after losing money for 10 straight years. CEO Jill Soltau, who took on the position … [Read more...] about Troubled JC Penney Searching For New CEO
#1 TikTok Star Charli D’Amelio and Family Get Hulu Series
Charli D'Amelio must have one of the fastest arcs to stardom of all time, rocketing to 100 million followers as the top TikTok user, and now getting a series on Hulu with her sister Dixie (also a TikTok star of note), and their parents Heidi and Marc. “The D’Amelio Show” will air on Hulu in 2021 as an eight-episode docuseries that follows “the first family of TikTok” as they … [Read more...] about #1 TikTok Star Charli D’Amelio and Family Get Hulu Series
Spotify Crowns Its Year With Royal Podcast Deal
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief Photo by Mark Jones The audio streaming leader Spotify has literally placed a crown on the year 2020, as its burgeoning podcast business signed a multi-year partnership with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The royal couple recently formed Archewell Audio, and that company will now produce regular podcasts … [Read more...] about Spotify Crowns Its Year With Royal Podcast Deal
Bruce Lee and Me: Apparel that Honors the Past While Making a Better Future
Guest Column by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Aristotle said that a friend is a single soul dwelling in two bodies. Bruce Lee and I were friends like that but, man, our two bodies couldn’t have been more different. Bruce was a 5’8” Chinese-American martial artist and I was a 7’2” African-American basketball player. There were other differences: he was raised in Hong Kong, I was raised in … [Read more...] about Bruce Lee and Me: Apparel that Honors the Past While Making a Better Future
Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Gets Into Book Biz With Random House
Recording artist and producer Jay-Z is getting into the book publishing business, and in a big way, thanks to a deal with Random House. The publishing giant announced this week the launch of a new publishing imprint with Roc Nation, the entertainment company founded by Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter. Called Roc Lit 101, the imprint will be devoted to publishing books at "... the dynamic … [Read more...] about Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Gets Into Book Biz With Random House
Shell Hires Beanstalk As Global Licensing Agent
Beanstalk scored a major new client, becoming the licensing agency for Shell, one of the world's largest energy and petrochemical companies, operating in 70 countries and boasting 80,000 employees worldwide. Beanstalk announced this week its partnership with Shell to extend the company's brand into a range of consumer products and services. The program will look to leverage … [Read more...] about Shell Hires Beanstalk As Global Licensing Agent
Brand Central Signs Internationally Renowned Steakhouse Fogo De Chão
For licensees and retailers looking to provide restaurant-quality experiences to consumers at home, Brand Central has come up with a unique solution through a new partnership with famed Brazilian steakhouse chain Fogo de Chao. Fogo de Chão specializes in the centuries-old Southern Brazilian cooking technique of churrasco – the art of roasting high-quality cuts of meats over … [Read more...] about Brand Central Signs Internationally Renowned Steakhouse Fogo De Chão
Who’s News Roundup: Week of Dec. 9
Bad Robot Tags Veteran Developer Michael Booth for New Video Game Studio The accomplished Bad Robot studio made a serious move this week, launching a video game division-Bad Robot Games—that will be guided by newly hired industry veteran Michael Booth as its General Manager and CEO Anna Sweet. Bad Robot, founded and led by renowned producer JJ Abrams, will now partner its … [Read more...] about Who’s News Roundup: Week of Dec. 9