A clearer and more streamlined approach to music licensing and industry representation is forecast to result from the merger of PPNZ Licensing and the Recording Industry Association of NZ.

The two bodies, which carry out licensing and industry representation activities for recording artists and their labels throughout New Zealand, announced today (11 June) they are joining forces under a new name - Recorded Music NZ Limited.

Under the merger, Recorded Music NZ takes on the roles previously carried out by each organisation. Recorded Music NZ divides its operations into three main areas of activity - member services, music licensing, and pro-music.

Member services represents much of the organisation's public face and will continue to deliver key projects including the Vodafone NZ Music Awards and the Official NZ Top40 Chart.

Music licensing manages the licensing of recorded music for public performance and broadcast. The licensing and royalty distribution division continues to be called PPNZ Music Licensing and operates as part of the merged organisation.

Pro-music is dedicated to copyright education, protection and corporate and government affairs.

The new structure comprises a single board of directors and a new chief executive, Damian Vaughan. Vaughan brings with him a strong background in licensing and has held roles with the Performing Rights Society (PRS) in UK and more recently APRA New Zealand.

He is the former business development manager at Independent Music NZ and has also worked for Kog Transmissions, a leading independent label in New Zealand.

RIANZ managing director Chris Caddick becomes chairman of Recorded Music NZ. With the restructure now complete, PPNZ acting chairman Henri Eliot (Chief Executive, Board Dynamics) is returning to his role as consultant to the new board bringing independent advice and governance expertise.

The new structure has been approved by RIANZ members and independent shareholders of PPNZ in meetings held during the past two months.

Damian Vaughan says there is a range of benefits from the merger for both the music industry and music consumers.

"Having the licensing and industry representation activities previously in two different organisations created some confusion and inefficiency. Under the new structure, we can be really clear about all the services we offer to the recording artists and labels we represent and also more clearly engage with the music-buying public.

"We want to be a relevant and effective link between the interests of those who create and those who buy recorded music. Creating this new single organisation, under the banner Recorded Music NZ, will be a great start to achieving the goal."

Recorded Music NZ is a limited liability company governed by a board of six directors. The board comprises a chair, three directors appointed by ‘threshold shareholders' and one independent director and an artist representative director appointed by independent shareholders.

http://recordedmusic.co.nz/