Universal Music Group Clashes with MTV Over Music Videos

Universal Music Group (UMG), the world's biggest record label with hit artists Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga and Rihanna, among others, has pulled its music videos from the websites owned by MTV Networks (MTVN).

MTVN, which arguably established the concept of music-TV channels worldwide, including the original MTV, also transmits music videos on the internet. Its most popular websites are MTV.com, CMT.com and VH1.com.

MTVN has always negotiated directly with record companies for its websites' videos. Until last December, when UMG joined forces with another major label Sony Music Entertainment and Abu Dhabi Media Company to launch Vevo, an online streamed music-video syndication service.

UMG is insisting all websites wanting UMG videos must take them from only Vevo. And until its websites comply, MTVN is now allowed to show UMG videos.

In a statement, UMG said it believes it can make more money syndicating its artists' videos through Vevo. It said: "Vevo… is the best way to maximise revenue for our artists, our songwriters and ourselves, while bringing our videos to the widest possible audience."

Negotiations were said to be ongoing and industry observers are also waiting to see if Sony will also want to remove its videos from MTVN sites.

Photography by Agnieszka Zychska

Buying Spree in UK Film and TV Sectors

The season of acquisitions in the UK film and TV industry is here. Hollywood studio Time Warner is now the majority owner of Shed Media, its first investment in a UK independent TV-production company.

According to media reports, the entertainment giant has acquired a 55.75% stake in Shed Media, valuing the latter at £100 million. Shed Media produces international TV franchises Supernanny and Who Do You Think You Are?

All3Media, creator of popular international TV dramas Midsomer Murders and Skins, is reported to be buying Optomen TV. Optomen is another indie production house famous for making culinary shows starring TV chef Gordon Ramsay.

These developments follow the acquisition of UK indie RDF Media by Zodiak Entertainment, a rapidly growing international media group, in June.

Meanwhile, another British institution could be affected by the sale of Hollywood studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), which is still desperately looking for a buyer to take on its $3.7 billion debt. It's been on sale since April.

Its financial woes could lead to the postponement of the next movie in the James Bond series, which is produced by the Broccoli family-owned EON Productions.

Scheduled to be filmed at the UK's Pinewood Studios, the movie will be directed by Oscar-winner Sam Mendes.

Photography by Agnieszka Zychska

LPA movingPictures Interview with M.T.Adler

This is our first LPA movingPictures interview with the director and photographer M.T. Adler. We are presenting the interview in five chapters.

1. Introduction
2. Iraq
3. Influences & the media
4. Television & personal work
5. Women in the industry & new projects

Photography By M.T. Adler

Paul Ryan interviews Director & Photographer M.T. Adler

Ginger - here is an out take of the interview we held with M.T. Adler last Friday. This is the first of a series of interviews we intend to produce featuring LPA movingPicture members - we will also offer this as an add on to our marketing and PR platform.

We had so much fun doing this, partly due to Paul and Marisol getting so well. Marisol is such an interesting artist and we are going to have a tough time editing down the footage. Our production team consisted of,
David Edmunds, Creative Director LPA movingPictures: on Mike
Paul Ryan, writer & interviewer:
Tony Campbell, cameraman and editor:
Laura Stark, location:
And me of course taking the dodgy out takes.

We hope to have this edited and ready for publishing in about two weeks time,