IFPI and WIN to launch Repertoire Data Exchange

By Emmanuel Legrand

Global trade bodies representing recorded music companies IFPI and WIN have announced a cross-industry collaboration to create Repertoire Data Exchange (RDx), a centralised industry data exchange service, and have appointed British neighbouring rights society PPL to deliver and operate RDx.

  The purpose of the venture is to "develop a centralised gateway to supply recording data in support of timely, accurate and efficient payments of public performance and broadcast revenues to recording right holders by music licensing companies." RDx will enable record companies and music licensing companies (MLCs), which collectively manage recording rights, to submit and access authoritative recording data via a single point.

  PPL chief executive Peter Leathem said the society has invested "significantly" in technology and data capabilities and is well positioned "to address the challenges of big data, drawing on our in-house experience in using DDEX, our relationships with music licensing companies around the world, and our expertise gained from managing huge volumes of recording data every week."

Improvements in data quality

  The partners in the project said RDx would offer recording right holders, regardless of their sizes and countries, a single registration point to supply their repertoire data in a standardised format (DDEX MLC). The data will then be quickly and easily accessed by all MLCs. The process should be "leading to improvements in data quality" and "improve the timeliness, accuracy and efficiency of MLCs’ revenue distributions to right holders worldwide."

  For Frances Moore, chief executive of IFPI, RDx is "a key example of an initiative that will benefit all parties involved." She said the system should "improve operational efficiencies and lower costs for right holders whilst allowing MLCs to retrieve authoritative repertoire data from a single point – enabling more accurate and timely distribution of revenues."

  Added Charlie Phillips, Chief Operating Officer of WIN:  “Historically, supplying complex data into the international network of MLCs has not been straightforward for independent producers and right holders. We are delighted that the industry has worked together to create a service for the benefit of all labels and producers."

Broad group of stakeholders

  RDx has been developed by a broad group of industry stakeholders led jointly by IFPI and WIN. The launch phase of RDx will receive technical support from music companies (Beggars Group, PIAS, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, and Consolidated Independent/state51) and MLCs (PPL, Re:Sound, SENA and Gramex Finland).

  The roll-out of RDx to all right holders and MLCs is expected to start in 2020.