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Irish songwriter, and founding member of The Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO), Brendan Graham has now officially been included in an exclusive club with the world’s top songwriters.

His song You Raise Me Up, with music by Secret Garden’s Rolf Lovland, has been awarded ‘’Million-Air’’ status by the American Performing Rights Society, BMI.

Only 3900 (0.06%) songs of the 6.5 million works, which BMI represent, have ever been awarded Million-Air certificates. To be included in this exclusive roster a song must have been broadcast over one million times on American radio. This definition equals at least 50,000 broadcast hours, or more than 5.7 years of continuous airplay.

The Mayo-based songwriter now joins previous Million-Air recipients like song-writing legends John Lennon, Van Morrison, Enya, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Mick Jagger, Ben E King, Sting, Otis Redding and Roy Orbison.

Other IMRO songwriters who have achieved BMI’s Million-Air status, include The Corrs (Breathless), Mick Hanly (Past The Point of Rescue) and Ronan Keating (The Long Goodbye), written with Paul Brady.

You Raise Me Up, first recorded by Secret Garden, featuring Brian Kennedy, has become one of the biggest selling songs in the history of popular music, with over three hundred recordings by some of the world’s biggest acts – Josh Groban, Westlife, IL Divo, Paul Potts, Celtic Woman, and has racked up sales of over 80 million copies. It has never been out of the charts somewhere in the world in the past six years. It has also become one of the most successful songs of all time in sheet music sales, being continuously at No. 1 for the past five years, in the USA’s Sheet Music Bestseller Charts, in four different categories: Pop, Adult Contemporary, Pop Choral and Downloads (it is the most downloaded song in sheet music format of all time).

It has been performed at the Winter and Summer Olympics, Superbowl, the Nobel Peace Prize, Opening of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the White House and the State Funeral of George Best.

Brendan Graham will also be remembered as the man who penned Ireland’s two last Eurovision winners – Rock ‘n’ Roll Kids (1994) and The Voice (1996), while other of his songs, like Winter, Fire & Snow; Crucan na bPaiste, and Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears have been recorded by a broad array of artistes, ranging from within the Irish and Scottish tradition, to New York Metropolitan Opera star Young Ok Shin.

He has recently commenced writing for radio and his two pieces for RTE’s Sunday Miscellany, appear in the recently launched, Sunday Miscellany: A Selection 2006-2008, alongside work from Seamus Heaney, Paul Muldoon, Anne Enright, Colm Toibin and Joseph O’Connor.

As a songwriter, he has similarly enjoyed both popular and critical success, with songs recorded by a diverse range of artistes – Josh Groban, Westlife, IL Divo; New York Metropolitan’s Young Ok Shin, Sissel, Celtic Woman, Secret Garden, Elaine Paige; Australia’s Kate Ceberano, Brian Kennedy, Eimear Quinn, Katie McMahon, Anuna, Daniel O’Donnell, Ronan Tynan, Katherine Jenkins, Russell Watson, The Irish Tenors, Nashville’s Hal Ketchum, Tommy Cash and jazz vocalist & No.1 hit songwriter for Garth Brooks – Benita Hill; as well as acclaimed artistes within the Scottish and Irish traditions, such as Roisin Elsafty, Fionnuala Gill, Karen Matheson, Alyth McCormack, Sean Keane and Dervish.

In an article about the song tradition of Ireland, legendary scribe Con Houlihan wrote…

‘Some of the best poetry being produced in this country today is in the form of song – Christy Moore and Brendan Graham and Jimmy McCarthy are touched by genius.’ Evening Herald, 26 Mar 08.

Whilst in a full page, feature article, the Irish Times described Graham as a ‘Musical Midas in the Mayo Silence.’ Irish Times, 20 Dec 07.

Born in County Tipperary in 1945 – and an Industrial Engineer by profession – Graham only became a full-time songwriter, upon being made redundant in 1993.

A previous Chairman of IMRO, a position he held for nine years, he was also a member of FORTE, the Government Task Force to advance the Irish Music Industry. He was the recipient of the inaugural IMRO Lifetime Achievement Award, with Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, referring to his ‘outstanding contribution to Ireland’s music industry’.

A former Irish Youth international at basketball and a recipient of Western Australia’s Lansing Bagnall State Award for business studies, he now lives in County Mayo.

Ends
29th October, 2008

For further information contact:
Keith Johnson, Director of Marketing & Membership (IMRO)
Tel: 01-6614844 Fax: 01-6763125 E-mail: keith.johnson@nullimro.ie

Additional Notes for Editors:

Graham’s debut novel The Whitest Flower (1998, HarperCollins, London, Toronto, Sydney), a documentary novel of Ireland’s Great Famine, was a No. 2 bestseller in Ireland and was translated into a number of languages. It received widespread critical acclaim:

The Whitest Flower has appeared on the Women’s Studies curriculum at MIT and the Irish Studies curriculum at the College of Charleston.

The Whitest Flower and The Element of Fire (HarperCollins 2001) are listed as Support Fiction on Ireland’s Leaving Certificate – History Syllabus.

His third book – The Brightest Day, The Darkest Night (HarperCollins 2005), follows Ellen O’Malley, heroine of the previous two books, to the field hospitals and killing fields of the American Civil War.

Although there are other songs about Ellis Island, Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears, written by Graham after first visiting Ellis Island in 1995, and which tells the story of Annie Moore, Ellis Island’s first registered immigrant, and seems to have become the anthem for this historic occasion in Irish – American history. No doubt helped by Irish Tenor, Ronan Tynan’s emotive performance of it live on an episode of hit show Third Watch and it’s subsequent performances for Presidents, Mayors of New York and most recently at moving ceremony in New York to unveil a memorial to mark the resting place of Annie Moore in Calvary Cemetery.

You Raise Me Up is published by Peermusic UK.

On April 28 IMRO welcomed President of Ireland, Mary McAleese as honoured guest at the launch of its newly refurbished headquarters ‘Copyright House’ on Pembroke Row, Dublin 2. The reception was attended by over one hundred key figures in the Irish music industry, who gathered to celebrate IMRO’s 20-year involvement in promoting and protecting the music of Ireland’s creative community.

Speaking at the opening, Victor Finn, CEO of IMRO said: “The members of IMRO are honoured that President McAleese has presided over the official opening of our newly refurbished headquarters. Irish music and artists have been at the forefront of music creativity globally for many years. They act as cultural ambassadors around the world contributing hugely to the awareness of Ireland and its rich music and cultural tradition. President McAleese’s presence here today undoubtedly pays tribute to and acknowledges the important role that music creators make in all our lives and re-affirms the importance of the need to protect the rights of these artists in a rapidly evolving music marketplace”.

Keith Donald, Chairman of IMRO added: “We are here today not only to celebrate the official opening of Copyright House but also to acknowledge the important cultural, social and financial impact that all Irish music representative bodies, organisations and companies make in Ireland and throughout the world. For our Irish music industry to continue to flourish, it is essential that all stakeholders, including the industry and many aspects of Government, work together to create an environment that stimulates and nourishes a vibrant and creative industry”.

IMRO (Irish Music Rights Organisation) have announced a call for entries for the 2009 IMRO Showcase Tour. Established in 1992, Ireland’s most established new band showcase has provided a live platform for scores of emerging Irish music talent over the years. Recent acts to have featured include Fight Like Apes, Oppenheimer, Declan O’Rourke, Halves, Delorentos, The Immediate and The Flaws to name a few. IMRO now invite submissions for the IMRO Showcase Tour 2009. Bands and artists who wish to be considered for a place on the tour should send a website or MySpace link to showcase@nullimro.ie before Friday February 27th, 2009. All genres of music are welcome. Successful acts will be notified in early March.

The IMRO Showcase Tour 2009 will feature ten live shows in venues across Ireland including Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Galway and Dundalk. The gigs will run through March and April. A ‘Best of Showcase’ gig will take place in Dublin in early May. In all, forty-five bands will be chosen to perform.

Of the IMRO Showcase Tour, long-time supporter Dave Fanning said: “When IMRO put together the first one of these nearly two decades ago it was a no-nonsense, no-frills kinda thing and did exactly what it said on the tin. It was the best of new live music. It still is. Competitions, band nights, showcases, battle of the bands – they come and they always go. The IMRO Showcase goes on forever, as big, bold and relevant as ever. It’s a privilege to have been involved through 2FM since the beginning. Here’s to ’09!”

The IMRO Showcase Tour 2009 is proudly supported by RTÉ 2FM and The Star Newspaper.

• €24.7 million was distributed to IMRO members and affiliates which represents an increase of 1.6%;
• 542 new members were admitted;
• Decrease in Licensing Revenue of 5.8% to €38.1 million in 2010;
• Decrease of 9% in Operating Expenses;
• Distributions (including cable rightsholders) paid in 2010 amounted to €39.7 million which represents an increase of 2%;

29^th June 2011 – The Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) has today reported that its total licensing revenue in 2010 amounted to €38.1 million, a decrease of 5.8% on the previous year. The fall in revenue was anticipated due to a smaller number of live music events taking place and the fall in advertising revenue from independent radio. It followed a particularly strong year in 2009, where overseas and concert revenue reached all time highs.

Commenting on the results, Victor Finn, IMRO CEO, said, “Our results for 2010 were satisfactory, given the current economic conditions which impacted on live music events and advertising revenues. Emphasis was placed on controlling costs and the organisation achieved a 9% saving on the previous year. We remain at the forefront internationally of payment frequency and speed to our members and affiliates.”

Key milestones achieved during 2010 included:

• The launch of the IMRO Academy, which was set up to celebrate the successes of Ireland’s iconic songwriters and composers who have made a significant cultural and social impact in Ireland and/or internationally. The first inductees were Brendan Graham and Bill Whelan;
• An improved web portal for IMRO members with enhanced facilities for members including the ability to register their works directly online, view royalty statements, supply details of live domestic and international performances, search and claim royalties;

“Despite the tough environment that Irish business is operating in, IMRO has a set of very solid results for 2010 which broadly reflects the proactive strategies the organisation has taken in the areas of cost containment, increased market penetration, investment in IT systems and processes to improve overall efficiency. IMRO’s ongoing challenge is to ensure the full protection of our members’ right to be remunerated when their work adds value to business” added Keith Donald, IMRO Chairman.

Victor Finn, IMRO CEO added, “IMRO remains committed to representing a collective voice for music creators in a challenging economic environment and during the continued evolution of the music industry. We are focused on ensuring songwriters and their music publishers receive fair compensation for their creativity, whilst also helping to support up and coming artists.”

On the issue of copyright infringement Mr Finn added; “It is an extremely important time for the creative community, when music and other intellectual property rights are more widely available than ever before. We will continue to work with our partners in the creative industries to underline the important contribution creatives’ make to the Irish economy. We welcome the timely review of copyright announced by Richard Bruton, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation recently. This is necessitated by the advances in digital technology that have rendered some of the existing provisions obsolete.”

He continued; “In the digital area it is clear we do not have adequate legislation to protect our songwriters, authors and their publishers. We welcome the separate consultation issued by the same Government in seeking to grant injunctive relief to copyright holders against online intermediaries whose services are used by a third party to infringe copyright. This will ensure the correct transposition of the 2001 EU Copyright Directive.”

“Together with this necessary legislation however, we also believe there must also be co-operation at industry level. This can only be achieved by the ISP and content industries sitting down to roundtable discussions to agree practical measures to ensure that piracy on the internet is minimized. If it is necessary the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation can facilitate by directing all ISPs to partake in such a process.” Mr Finn added.

“Many of the laudable objectives in the Programme for Government recently published depend entirely on robust copyright foundations and strong enforcement. The ICT sector, now very much our partners in the delivery of copyright works also depend on intellectual property to ensure that investment in software, hardware and patents is protected. Continued spend on research and development is thus assured. An environment where so called fair use exceptions are expanded, creating a light touch copyright regime is not a viable option. We will work with the relevant Departments and the review group established by the Minister in the coming months to deliver a balanced review of our copyright legislation. This will ensure that innovation in the technology sector is encouraged while also providing a fair return for creative endeavours.” He said.

For further information please contact:

Donnchadh O’Leary / Carol Donaghy
Edelman
01 6789 333 / 087 282 0436 / 087 912 5804
Donnchadh.oleary@nulledelman.com / carol.donaghy@nulledelman.com

Notes to Editors:

Overview of Licensing Revenue

Licensing revenue of €38.1 million was achieved in 2010. This was split across fives areas:

• Broadcasting (excluding cable);
• Cable and Satellite;
• Public Performance;
• Online;
• Overseas.

Broadcasting (excluding cable)

This revenue comprises royalties from RTE, TG4 and independent and television broadcasters. In 2010 this sector generated €7.3 million in revenue, a decline of 5% on the previous year. It represents 19% of IMRO’s total revenues.

Cable and Satellite

Cable and satellite revenue reflects the royalties payable for the cable retransmission of UK terrestrial and satellite channels in Ireland. Revenue at €12.2m, was in line with 2009. The majority of this revenue is distributed to the cable rights holders involved in the rebroadcast of BBC, ITV, and Channel 4 programming on cable networks, with the remainder being distributed to IMRO members and affiliates. This sector represents 32% of IMRO’s total revenues.

Public Performance

Public performance revenue represents the majority of IMRO’s revenue, accounting for 39% of the total in 2010. It reflects royalties arising from the public performance of copyright music in shops, bars, cinemas, hotels, offices, etc, and at large live concerts. In 2010, €14.9 million was generated, a 6% decrease on 2009 due to a lower level of activity and difficult debt collection in this sector compared to the previous year. Notable milestones in 2010 include a focus on increasing market penetration, publication of revised concert and cinema tariffs and a new multistage concert tariff.

Online

Online licensing comprises revenue from mobile and online music, used by content providers such as music download and music streaming sites, and mobile downloads. It also includes general entertainment on demand services such as YouTube, Apple iTunes Movies, Microsoft Zune Video and Google Video.

Overseas

2010 marked the first full year in existence of IMRO’s new dedicated International team with a focus on proactively increasing the organisation’s overseas revenues. This sector accounted for €3.3 million in 2010. This revenue arises from the use of IMRO members’ repertoire in other counties and represents 9% of IMRO’s total revenues. In 2010 overseas revenue fell by 25%, reflecting a number of years backed revenue collected in 2009 from France and Spain. Revenue spilt as a percentage of international revenue is as follows:

• United Kingdom – 34%;
• Other EU countries – 36%;
• USA – 14%;
• Rest of World – 16%.

About Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO)

IMRO is a national organisation that administers the performing right in copyright music in Ireland on behalf of its members – who are songwriters, composers and music publishers – and on behalf of the songwriters, composers and music publishers of the international overseas societies that are affiliated to it. IMRO does not represent the interests of record labels. Their interests in Ireland are administered by Phonographic Performance Ireland (PPI) and their representative trade body is The Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA). IMRO’s function is to collect and distribute royalties arising from the public performance of copyright works. IMRO is a not-for-profit organisation.

Music users such as broadcasters, venues and businesses must pay for their use of copyright music by way of a blanket licence fee. IMRO collects these monies and distributes them to the songwriters, composers and music publishers who created the songs. The monies earned by copyright owners in this way are known as public performance royalties.

IMRO is also prominently involved in the sponsorship and promotion of music in Ireland. Every year it sponsors a large number of song contests, music festivals, seminars, workshops, research projects and showcase performances. Indeed, IMRO is now synonymous with helping to showcase emerging talent in Ireland.

The Chairman of the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO), Keith Donald, has announced that as of 1st February 2009, IMRO will manage the administration of the rights of the Irish mechanical rights society MCPSI.

The decision to outsource MCPSI to IMRO has been approved by the boards of MCPSI, IMRO and MCPS and follows closely the appointment of Victor Finn as CEO of IMRO following his many years as Managing Director of MCPSI.

The Chairman of the Board of MCPSI, Peter Bardon, said that “the decision to outsource to IMRO was a natural progression in the close working relationship that had developed between the two societies since Victor took up his post at IMRO last year. It also followed on from the joint licensing initiatives which were inevitable in the digital age where both mechanical and performing rights are inextricably involved. This is good news for Irish licensees and members alike.”

Keith Donald commented that “the joint administration of the rights would lead to efficiencies and cost savings for both societies”.

Since Victor left MCPSI the operations of the company have been overseen by executives from MCPS in the UK. The Executive Director of MCPS – and Board member of MCPSI – Jeremy Fabinyi, said that “it was recognised that Irish members deserved to be serviced by an Irish society and the most effective way for this to happen was for IMRO to be responsible for administering the mechanical rights. However he pointed out that there was no change in the ownership of the rights and that all policies affecting licensing and distribution would remain with the MCPSI Board”.

Victor Finn noted “that the decision of the IMRO Board to take on the responsibilities reflected the need for societies to find the most cost effective ways of working and the close co-operation between rights-holders in Ireland ensured improved service could also be delivered to licensees”.

About MCPSI

Mechanical Copyright Protection Society Ireland Limited (MCPSI) is an organisation which represents thousands of composers and publishers of music. By way of agency agreement with MCPS and through their reciprocal agreements with other organisations around the world, MCPSI also represents the interests of many thousands of other music copyright owners in other countries. MCPSI licenses companies and individuals who record musical works and collects and distributes the royalties payable under those licences. This service is available to anybody who wants to recorded music including record companies, independent production companies, mobile and online companies and many others. MCPSI also licenses the importation of recordings from outside of the EU.
 

The Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) and OXEGEN have brought together some of the very best emerging new talent both from Ireland and further afield to appear at this year’s festival.

OXEGEN is taking place from 11th-13th July 2008 at Punchestown Racecourse, Naas, Co Kildare. (subject to licence) and The IMRO New Sounds Stage will see performances from some great new acts on the Saturday (12th) and Sunday (13th) of the festival.

Saturday’s line-up on The IMRO New Sounds Stage will feature a diverse range of fantastic new acts including Brighton based indie-punk duo Blood Red Shoes, hotly tipped singer song writer Gary Go and London rockers Sons Of Albion. The best in Irish talent will be represented by Dublin live favourites The Cades and Belfast’s Oppenheimer, a band that have already built a cult following in the US and Japan and seen their music appear in Ugly Betty.

The line-up for Sunday is equally tantalising and includes performances from three brilliant new Irish bands; the innovative indie-electronica act Dry County, the captivating blend of samples and live instrumentation that is Crayonsmith and the glacial ambient rock of Halves. International talent comes in the form of Team Waterpolo, who’ll be fresh from supporting Black Kids and Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong, and Scottish indie-popsters The Hazy Janes.

The full IMRO New Sounds Stage line-up is:
Saturday 12th July: Blood Red Shoes, Codes, Gary Go, Oppenheimer, Sons Of Albion, New Amusement, The Golden Silvers, The Cades, The Red Labels, Future Chaser.

Sunday 13th July: Dry Country, Team Waterpolo, Halves, Crayonsmith, The Rocket Summer, Brothers Movement, The Hazy Janes, Fighting With Wire, Arno Carstens, The Television Room.

IMRO’s Director of Marketing & Membership, Keith Johnson comments:
IMRO is delighted to have this opportunity to present some of the very finest emerging Irish acts alongside their international counterparts at Ireland’s biggest live music event. The IMRO New Sound Stage will profile what’s “hot” for 2008 and beyond and promises to be one of the busiest stages at OXEGEN 08.

In order to combat ticket touting, a limited number of extra weekend camping tickets for OXEGEN will go on sale this Friday 20 June. Following concerns from genuine fans last year about ticket touting and signs that tickets for this year’s festival have been selling on various unofficial websites for as much as €486, a limited number of extra tickets have been made available and fans are strongly advised to only purchase tickets via the OXEGEN website (www.oxegen.ie) or through Ticketmaster. 3 day camping tickets sold out over 3 months ago within days of going on sale so the extra tickets are now expected to be snapped up fast.

OXEGEN fans who register their details with www.oxegen.ie before 20th June will receive the full OXEGEN line-up and stage times direct to their email accounts so that they can start planning their own ‘Greatest Rock n Roll Weekend’. The full OXEGEN stage line-up is as follows:

FRIDAY 11TH JULY 08:
Main Stage: Kings of Leon, Interpol, Editors, Paddy Casey, The Coronas and Amy Macdonald.

The O2 Stage: Groove Armada, The Go! Team, Ben Folds, dEUS, Sugababes and Future Kings of Spain.

Green Room: Bell X1, Mundy, Aslan, The Saw Doctors and Captain.

Pet Sounds: Cat Power, Aphex Twin, Tricky, Battles and God Is An Astronaut.

2FM New Band Stage/Futures: White Denim, Friendly Fires, The Metros, Noah & The Whale, Sparkadia, Bryn Christopher, Liam Finn and Leopold.

Dance Stage: Calvin Harris, Unkle, Annie Mac, MSTRKRFT, Koze, Kosheen, Sneaky Sound System and Burns.

SATURDAY 12TH JULY 08:
Main Stage: The Verve, R.E.M., Stereophonics, Amy Winehouse, Counting Crows, Newton Faulkner, Scouting For Girls and Bowling For Soup.

The O2 Stage: The Prodigy, The Zutons, Feeder, Panic at the Disco, The Enemy, The Hoosiers, The Wombats, Powderfinger, One Night Only and Little Man Tate.

Green Room: Manic Street Preachers, The Charlatans, Pendulum, Echo and the Bunnymen, Vampire Weekend, British Sea Power, The Ting Tings, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Delays and Concerto For Constantine.

Pet Sounds: The National, Hot Chip, Richard Hawley, Seasick Steve, Declan O’Rourke, Paul Heaton, My Morning Jacket, Camille O’Sullivan and Jack McManus.

2FM New Band Stage/Futures: Elliot Minor, Royworld, Joe Lean and The Jing Jang Jong, Black Kids, Alphabeat, Ida Maria, Yeasayer, Holy Fuck, Mindless Self Indulgence, Cage The Elephant and Sergeant.

Dance Tent: Justice, Boys Noize, Slam, Michael Mayer, Streetlife DJs, Kavinsky, The Japanese Popstars and Chemistry DJ’s.

IMRO New Sounds Stage: Blood Red Shoes, Codes, Gary Go, Oppenheimer, Sons Of Albion, New Amusement, The Golden Silvers, The Cades The Red Labels, Future Chaser.

The Board of The Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) is pleased to announce that the renowned composer and saxophonist Keith Donald has been appointed to the position of Chairman of IMRO. His term of office will run for 3 years.

Donald who was born in County Derry, Northern Ireland in 1945 is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin and has studied at University of Minnesota and the Royal Irish Academy of Music.

A founding member of the critically acclaimed Irish instrumental group Moving Hearts Donald has played sax with people as diverse as Van Morrison, The Dubliners, Zoot Sims, Christy Moore, Vusi Mahlahsela, Gerry Mulligan, and Máire Breatnach. He has produced and arranged songs by Bono, Shane MacGowan, Elvis Costello and Christy Moore for Ronnie Drew’s first solo album, Dirty Rotten Shame for Sony Records. Over the years he has composed music for the BBC, Channel Four, BFI, RTE, Neil Jordan’s Angel, plays by Brian Friel, Damian Gorman and Frank McGuinness and he wrote the music for the BBCNI drama United which won a BAFTA in 1997.

“On a personal level my appointment to the Chair of IMRO is an enormous honour for me. To become the figurehead for such an important and vital organisation that represents the interests of so many music creators is a responsibility that I don’t take lightly. There are significant challenges facing the music industry and it is my firm intention to ensure that IMRO continues to grow steadily while ensuring the interests of all those whom we represent are best protected in the years ahead” states Donald.

Music Education initiatives have very much been at the forefront of Donald’s activities over the years. While working at the Arts Council he helped with the foundation of the Rock School in Senior College Ballyfermot in 1988 and was involved in the IRMA Trust’s musical instrument scheme whereby people can provide unused instruments to be refurbished and passed on to talented young people who could not otherwise afford them. He established MusicBase, a facility that advised and assisted hundreds of people about the domestic and international music business in the 1990s.

Through previous membership of the Boards of the IRMA Trust, the Temple Bar Music Centre, the IBEC Music Group, plus having served on Forte, the advisory group set up by the first Minister for Arts and Culture he has developed a comprehensive understanding of music and the arts in Ireland and overseas. He currently sits on the Board of the Mechanical Copyright Protection Society of Ireland (MCPSI).

IMRO is a national organisation administering the performing right in copyright music in Ireland on behalf of its members – songwriters, composers and music publishers – and on behalf of the members of the international overseas societies that are affiliated to it. IMRO’s function is to collect and distribute royalties arising from the public performance of copyright works. IMRO is a not-for-profit organisation.

The Board of The Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) is pleased announce that Victor Finn has been appointed to the position of CEO at IMRO. Mr Finn, who served as Managing Director of The Mechanical Copyright Protection Society (Ireland) from 2001-2008, will take up his position in June.

Finn’s extensive experience within the Irish music market and strong reputation in the International arena are important factors in his appointment to the position. He has overseen significant developments in the Irish music publishing industry, as income for publishers and songwriters has shifted from traditional physical product to digital. A Chartered Management Accountant with a degree in Marketing from University of Limerick, during his time at MCPS, Finn established successful licensing schemes for CD, DVD and other physical media. Major deals were struck with broadcasters, mobile and music download players, and this is reflected in the positive growth path of MCPS revenues during his tenure there. Finn also brokered ground-breaking joint licensing schemes with IMRO, allowing online music users easier access to both repertoires while maintaining royalty rates for such uses.

“This is an important time for the creative community, when music and other intellectual property rights are more widely disseminated than ever before. Our objective is to ensure our songwriters and their music publishers receive fair compensation and that our new partners promoting innovative business models can appreciate the value of the rights entrusted to IMRO” states Finn.

“IMRO is very much at the forefront on the international stage in representing a collective voice for music creators as we face into serious challenges ahead. The appointment of Mr Finn at this time ensures that we are in a strong position to tackle the many issues facing the creative community particularly in the online world. Finn’s strong stewardship of the organisation at this time will be essential to ensure that the rights of all those represented by IMRO are best protected into the future” added Keith Donald, IMRO Chairman.”