PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Clyne Media, Inc.
Tel: (615) 662-1616
Fax: (615) 662-1636
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE RECORDING ACADEMY® PRODUCERS & ENGINEERS WING PARTNERS WITH
BMS/CHACE AND LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
FOR ARCHIVING STANDARDS AND PROTOCOL INITIATIVE
"Preserving Creative America" Project to Address Problems
of Credit Rights and E-Commerce Collection in Regards to Digital Music-Related
Metadata
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (May 12, 2008) —The
Recording Academy® Producers & Engineers Wing has announced
its partnership with digital archiving and migration specialists BMS/Chace
and the Library of Congress' "Preserving Creative America"
program (www.digitalpreservation.gov)
on a project to create a standardized protocol for music-related metadata
that would travel with recorded music projects from inception to archive.
"We are extremely proud to be a part of this important
project," said Maureen Droney, Executive Director of The Recording
Academy Producers & Engineers Wing. "It addresses many challenges
in today's recording industry that stem from our rapid transition to
the digital environment, such as the lack of proper crediting and other
critical metadata, as well as cohesive deliverables and other information
critical to the life span of a musical project."
The goals of the BMS/Chace project include creating a
data dictionary and collection tools that will incorporate all fields
related to the files that are part of a recording deliverable —
from multi-track and stereo mix files, to ancillary files including
e-commerce. The intention of the project is to have these fields harmonized
with existing work from SMPTE, DDEX, AES and other relevant standards
organizations to create a compatible metadata environment that includes
common business-related fields such as ISRC codes, official song titles,
producer and engineer credits, and copyright ownership. Other partners
in the project include Sony BMG Music, Universal Music Group, EMI Group
and Disney Music Group.
"The adoption of digital recording has virtually
eliminated the vital documentation once created on paper during the
recording process," explained John Spencer, President of BMS/Chace.
"We are losing valuable content when files are not being identified
properly and incorporated into the asset management strategy. A standardized
metadata environment will allow content creators, record labels, individuals
and cultural heritage institutions to document, archive, manage and
re-purpose 'born digital' recordings effectively."
Preserving Creative America is an initiative of the Library
of Congress' National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation
Program (NDIIPP), which addresses the long-term preservation of creative
content produced in digital form. It targets preservation issues across
a broad range of creative works, including digital photographs, motion
pictures, sound recordings and video games. Projects will be conducted
by a combination of industry trade associations, private sector companies
and nonprofits, as well as cultural heritage institutions, among which
are the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the Academy Awards),
Universal Press Syndicate (UPS) and the UCLA Film & Television Archives.
"America's creativity is unrivaled in the world,
and it is among our most important exports," said Librarian of
Congress James H. Billington. "The Library is pleased to be able
to bring together creators of such diverse content for the sake of saving
our nation's heritage, which is increasingly being created only in digital
formats."
Currently, more than 6,000 professionals comprise the
Producers & Engineers Wing, which was established for producers,
engineers, remixers, manufacturers, technologists, and other related
creative and technical professionals in the recording community. This
organized voice for the recording community addresses issues that affect
the craft of recorded music, while ensuring its role in the development
of new technologies, recording and mastering recommendations, and archiving
and preservation initiatives. For more information, please visit www.producersandengineers.com.
Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization
of musicians, producers, engineers and recording professionals that
is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life
for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards
— the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence
and the most credible brand in music — The Recording Academy is
responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment,
advocacy, education and human services programs. In its 50th year, The
Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence,
advocating for the well-being of music makers and ensuring music remains
an indelible part of our culture. For more information about The Academy,
please visit www.grammy.com.
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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Robert Clyne/Clyne Media, Inc./615.662.1616/robert@clynemedia.com
Lisa Roy/310.463.1563/lisaroyaudio@mac.com
Jennifer Keppel/The Recording Academy/310.392.3777/jenniferk@grammy.com