That 2020, between coronavirus and lockdown, was the annus horribilis of the shows is well known. However, the effects of closures on copyright have a certain effect: global business fell by 9.9% for a loss of about a billion. Overall, the creators of musical, audiovisual, visual arts, theater and literature have collected 9.32 billion and Italy, due to the great rigidity of the measures adopted to combat the virus, is among the most penalized in the world. This was revealed by the latest edition of the Global Collections Report by Cisac, the International Confederation of copyright collecting.
Streaming softens the blow
Luck has it that, while theaters and halls were closed, the public at home made great use of audio and video streaming platforms. In short, the losses have been partially mitigated by a significant increase in digital-related royalties which reflect a strong licensing activity by many collecting companies around the world. Revenues from public and live performances fell by 45% to € 1.6 billion, with an estimated 55% drop in receipts for live concerts. Digital collections, on the other hand, increased by 16.6% to 2.4 billion. Radio and television broadcasting, a source of higher revenues for creators, fell by 4.3% to 3.7 billion. The proceeds from the use of musical works, which represent 88% of the total, fell by 10.7% to 8.19 billion, largely due to the closed premises.
The response to the pandemic country by country
The Cisac Report analyzes the different impact of Covid-19 by region and sector, the vital role of long-term government support and the measures put in place for the creators of the works by the collecting, the constant losses caused by the lockdowns and the prospects for recovery in 2022. Strategic responses to the pandemic are highlighted in the case studies of Brazil, Croatia, France, Germany, South Korea, Mexico, Senegal, the United Kingdom, the United States and Vietnam. The Report also shows how Covid has accelerated the transition to digital in the mix of uses that produce royalties for creators. But the vast majority of creators still make marginal income from digital, which accounts for just over a quarter of their global revenue. For Cisac president Bjorn Ulvaeus, “creators today work in an unfair ecosystem. If we accept that the song or the creative work of any repertoire is the foundation of our creative industries, then why do we accept the near invisibility of the creator in the commercial value chain? “
Italy among the most penalized
Italy is confirmed as the sixth strength of world copyright, with a collection of 417 million which is worth a 4.5% share of the global market. Here, however, the decline was 31.2%, one of the most severe performances in Europe. Blame the decline in music (-35.1%) and dramatic performances (-31.2%), a segment in which the Bel Paese is the world leader. For Gaetano Blandini, CEO of Siae, here with us “a systemic vision and an idea of shared development is needed to activate a real restart with particular attention to creative workers and their specific needs, recognizing, measuring and supporting the effort entrepreneurial in this sector which is so important for Italy ».