BMG partners with SESAC on Indian digital song licensing

By Andy Malt | Published on Friday 8 February 2019

BMG has signed a deal with American collecting society SESAC which
will see the latter’s Mint business managing the digital licensing of
the former’s Anglo-American songs catalogue in India.

Many music publishers now license their Anglo-American
repertoires to digital services directly in various markets. However,
that is usually done in partnership with a collecting society, because
societies and publishers together control the rights that the streaming
platforms need to exploit.

BMG works with German society GEMA on direct licensing in
multiple territories, but is now partnering with SESAC and Mint in
India. Mint is itself a joint venture between two collective management organisations, SESAC and Swiss society SUISA.

“The new licensing agreement with SESAC through Mint for the
emerging Indian market is a huge benefit for our publishing clients and
delivers on BMG’s core values of fairness, transparency and service”,
says BMG General Counsel Ama Walton. “In addition, both international
and national music users can now efficiently license the repertoire of
our Anglo-American writers in India”.

Alexander Wolf, President of SESAC International, adds: “With
the world’s largest, most authoritative database of musical works linked
to recordings, Mint and SESAC Digital Licensing are looking forward to
cooperating with BMG in this emerging marketplace. We’re excited BMG has
selected SESAC as its trusted partner and we are happy to provide our
expertise in a market with so much potential”.