In recent years, advances in digital communications technologies have made innovative new forms of digital music distribution possible, but such progress has also given rise to greater incidents of copyright infringement, including widespread unauthorized digital content distribution. To cope with that threat, Dentsu has devised Melodies, a system for managing music copyrights and permission data. Dentsu has also developed, Memories an expanded version of Melodies for application to all types of content, including moving images, text, software and other forms of digital media as well as music. Dentsu has promoted the need for international standardization to corporations, industry associations and standards bodies in the music sector, and has actively developed technologies and systems to help achieve it.
Memories, which can be used for diverse contents, offers an encoding method for data concerning the use of copyrighted items and income allocation arrangements. It also serves as a database where such information for each content is keyed in with the mutual consent of rights holders and is accumulated in the encoded form. Memories facilitates music and other contents distribution by enabling immediate access to aggregated information derived from rights holders, governing the use of copyrighted content items, and by providing instant income allocation amongst holders of various rights associated with each item.
MMG aims to help create a common infrastructure to facilitate lawful and secure global content distribution. Specific goals include the development and implementation of a standardized language to express conditions pertaining to copyright and other information concerning the use of contents.
As part of its efforts to establish a common language for copyright and other information concerning the use of content in Asia, Dentsu has assisted with the formation of two ventures Melodies & Memories Hong Kong1and M Cube Gate2 in Korea in partnership with local entities with strong market presence. Melodies & Memories Global in Tokyo will coordinate their activities.
Among MMG’s roster of directors is Nicholas Givotovsky, who serves as vicechairman of the Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI) Requirements Working Group (SRWG) 3. As a seasoned partner, Mr. Givotovsky will be instrumental in helping MMG carry out specific measures to promote further standardization of advance systems, to better respond to global content distribution.
MMG has also engaged the services of Rightscom4, a consultancy based in the United Kingdom, who specialize in advice on intellectual property management issues. Rightscom will help guide MMG’s activities in advance systems integration and standardization as MMG responds to the current and future requirements of global content distribution.
Mr. Takahito Iida, Senior Manager of Business Development, Media & Contents Strategy Planning Division at Dentsu Inc., who invented various patented technologies for Memories, will head the new company as its President. Dentsu will furnish usage rights to MMG exclusively.
