In order to maximise the efficiency of service to its 600 label and distributor members, who collectively represent over 20,000 labels from 39 countries, Merlin, the global rights agency for the independent sector has today announced the launch of a new online dashboard - allowing members instant and secure access to all aspects of their membership.

Tailor-made and powered for Merlin by OTTO, a web-based reporting and analytics application, the online system offers each member of Merlin a secure portal, where they can manage all of their company information, and access details of all of their deal activity since the global rights agency launched for business in May 2008.

Additional functionalities, such as royalty reporting, market analysis and financial statements, will be rolled out throughout 2014. 

The tool will go live to members before Merlin’s member meeting at Midem, and coincides with a rebrand of the organisation’s website (www.merlinnetwork.org) and logo.

Charles Caldas, Merlin CEO said: “Merlin has always taken seriously our commitment to offer our members the most efficient and transparent service possible. Given the pace at which the market is moving, we believe this dashboard will greatly enhance our members’ interaction with Merlin, and with the digital market."

Tom Deakin, Merlin's Head of Operations and Member Services adds: "After all of the hard work designing this tool with OTTO, I'm excited to see the launch of the system to the labels and distributors we represent. Via this dashboard, we can significantly enhance the way we interact with our members.”

ENDS

About Merlin:

Merlin is the global rights agency representing the world’s most important independent music companies. The organisation acts to ensure its members have effective access to new and emerging revenue streams and that their rights are appropriately valued and protected.

Merlin’s membership embodies over 20,000 independent record labels and distributors, representing some of the world’s most important independent artists, including:

• The xx, The National, Vampire Weekend (Beggars Group)
• Tom Waits, Bad Religion, Wilco (Epitaph Records)
• Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (Kobalt)
• Arcade Fire, She & Him (Merge)
• DJ Khaled, Jim Jones (E1)
• Enter Shikari, Editors, Ghostpoet, Soulwax ([PIAS])
• Animal Collective, Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand, Anna Calvi (Domino)
• Prodigy, Marilyn Manson (Cooking Vinyl)
• DJ Antoine (Kontor)
• Armin van Buuren, Hardwell (Armada)
• Chuck Prophet, Josh Rouse (Yep Roc Records)
• Kid Koala, Amon Tobin (Ninja Tune)
• Bob Sinclar (Tommy Boy)
• Grizzly Bear, Boards of Canada (Warp Records)
• Ani Difranco (Righteous Babe)
• Sharon van Etten, Bon Iver (Secretly Canadian)
• Hercules and Love Affair, Space Cadets (!K7)
• Dan Zanes, Sonny Landreth (Virtual Label)  

Merlin’s members command around a 10% share of the global and US recorded music markets. Since commencing operations in May 2008, Merlin has struck deals with a wide variety of digital services including Spotify, YouTube, Google Play, Rdio and Deezer and reached a number of high value copyright infringement settlements on behalf of its members with, amongst others, Limewire, XM Satellite Radio and Grooveshark.

Billboard included CEO Charles Caldas in its International Power Players 2014 list.

In March 2013, the organisation’s chief executive, Charles Caldas, was named winner of the IMPALA Outstanding contribution award, which recognised his dedicated work launching and growing Merlin into the virtual fourth major in the digital space.

In February 2013, Merlin was named among the world’s ten most innovative companies in music by Fast Company magazine.

For more information visit: www.merlinnetwork.org

ABOUT OTTO

OTTO was founded in 2011 to address the increased complexity of multiple sales files management and reporting. In order to streamline the operational and management needs, OTTO offers an alternative to processing sales data and issuing statements and management reports. OTTO offers a scalable system to independent right-owners (labels, distributors and aggregators) to simplify their digital distribution business. OTTO also provides its clients with additional productivity tools and customisable templates. OTTO is launching its Version 1 at MIDEM 2014. 

For more information visit: www.ottomate.me or contact info@ottomate.me