One year after the announcement at MIDEM of Merlin, an organisation charged with facilitating license agreements between independents and digital media, and the launch at MIDEM 2006 of WIN (Worldwide Independent Network), both organisations have once again chosen MIDEM to speak to the media and make key new announcements for the industry. The WIN and Merlin press conferences will be held at 11.45am and 12.45pm respectively on Sunday 27 January.

On 29 and 30 January, the fourth International Indie Summit will provide a rare opportunity to present innovative experiences and concrete solutions from independents who are right at the heart of the industry revolution. The summit will bring together names such as Nick Gold, producer and head of World Circuit Records (UK), Michel Lambot, Merlin Founder and Board Member (Netherlands) and Co-President of Pias Group (Belgium), and Bob Frank, Merlin Chairman and President of Koch Records (USA), as well as the directors of Beggars Group (UK), Putumayo World Music (USA), Chrysalis Group (UK), Armada Music (Netherlands) and Keevision (South Africa), among others.

This year’s MIDEM will once again be the occasion for three of the major independents’ organisations to hold their board meetings: Impala, the European association of independent labels, WIN and Merlin. A2IM (the American Association of Independent Music) will also have a big presence through a range of events it will be organising and see a strong growth in the number of association participants for the third consecutive year rising from 69 in 2006 to 212 in 2008.

For more information about MIDEM go to www.midem.com