IMPALA’s digital committee has the task of ensuring independents are proactive when it comes to digital issues. Meeting monthly, the committee also holds monthly meetings with Merlin to exchange information and relay questions from the committee. 

  

The committee is also in contact with several leading digital platforms. Discussions mainly revolve around streaming manipulation and streaming models. IMPALA has also set up an intelligence facility for IMPALA members known as “One Step Ahead”, thanks to a digital capacity grant from Merlin. The project delivers data and analysis on key digital issues in European markets, including national level trends and opportunities for trade associations and members. 

  

Discussions on streaming distribution models remain high on IMPALA’s agenda. Instead of looking at this as a choice between two models, IMPALA’s focus is working on an optimal model which would include pro-temporis and other elements. Our streaming group released a 10-point plan to make the most of streaming, originally released in March 2021, and updated in March 2023, following a month-long review process launched on the two-year anniversary of the first plan. Differentiation in rates by services is one of our main themes, so we have several proposals to shift how revenue is generated and allocated.

 

Aside from streaming models, and streaming manipulation, other issues being discussed by the committee include the impact of podcast and audiobooks on streaming, market developments with digital players, getting digital services to facilitate titles in different languages & search by label, monetisation on music streaming platforms, access to playlists, the domain .music, and live streaming and more.

 

IMPALA launched a working group dedicated to Web3, Metaverse, NFTs and related issues, tasked with providing guidance to IMPALA members on these topics.