Irving Azoff’s Music Rights Firm Ends Legal Battle With Radio Stations

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorBlackRock and Warner Music Group have invested $750 million, in partnership with Influence Media, to acquire music-rights catalogs from female and diverse artists, a source confirms to Variety.Rather than joining the fray pursuing catalogs of iconic, older white-male artists like Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and David Bowie, the female-led Influence, which was founded by Lylette Pizarro (formerly a partner at RPM GRP) and Lynn Hazan (formerly CFO and GM of Epic Records) is focusing on newer, active catalogs, and plans to work with the artists, which will retain a stake in their work.While companies like Hipgnosis Songs also have invested in what are called “shallow” (i.e. more recent) catalogs from contemporary hitmakers like Jeff Bhasker, this partnership has already invested $300 million in 20 catalogs, including Puerto Rican powerhouse songwriter-producer Tainy, known for his work with Bad Bunny, J Balvin, Rosalía, Shawn Mendes and Cardi B’s “I Like It.” The news was first reported in the Wall Street Journal.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterLos Angeles County will drop its indoor mask mandate on Friday for indoor venues where patrons are required to show proof of vaccination to enter, including theaters and restaurants.The state of California dropped its indoor mask mandate last Wednesday, but some counties have kept their mandates in place due to local transmission rates. Barbara Ferrer, the director of the L.A.

Cheryl is allegedly facing a huge tax bill after HMRC won a legal battle over an alleged avoidance scheme.The singer, 38, may have to pay back taxes after HM Revenue and Customs won a test case, according to reports.The star lost a long-standing test case after a judge found her company CC Entertainments culpable of “straightforward profit extraction” with an artificial employee bonus scheme.This means that the company paid capital gains tax instead of the more expensive income tax and National Insurance, according to The Sun. In a tax tribunal ruling in favour of HMRC, Judge Jennifer Dean noted: “The appeal of CC Entertainments is a straightforward 'profit extraction' case where the single 100 per cent shareholder signed a contract of employment and was awarded a Growth Securities Ownership Plan said to qualify as an employment-related security." Get exclusive celebrity stories and fabulous photoshoots straight to your inbox with OK!'s daily newsletter As a result, HMRC can now ask the former Girls Aloud singer for tax back including compound interest, but without fines or penalties.

Cheryl could fork out a hefty bill after being accused of using a tax avoidance scheme.  The Girls Aloud singer’s company, CC Entertainments, is said to have paid capital gains tax instead of income tax and national insurance which come with higher rates.  It’s reported that Cheryl, 38, recently lost an ongoing legal battle, with a judge concluding that her personal firm was culpable of ‘straightforward profit extraction’ using an artificial employee bonus scheme.

Wendy Williams is less than a month away from reaching a six-month hiatus from her eponymous talk show amid her various health struggles. But in the midst of that, another battle has been taking place in court over access to her money, following accusations by her bank that the TV personality is «incapacitated» and is in need of a guardianship.The 57-year-old TV host, however, is fighting back, saying "she is fine" and «of sound mind,» and her lawyers went to court in an effort to help her regain access to her money in personal and business accounts at Wells Fargo.ET's been following these developments since lawyers for the bank and Williams filed legal documents laying out their case.

Wendy Williams is speaking out.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterThe medic who rushed to help “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins after Hutchins was shot on set last fall has filed a negligence lawsuit against several crew members and the film’s production entity.Cherlyn Schaefer was summoned to the church building at the Bonanza Creek Ranch near Santa Fe, N.M., on Oct. 21, after the film’s star, Alec Baldwin, shot Hutchins and director Joel Souza while preparing for a scene.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorPrimary Wave Music announced that it has acquired the music rights from the estates of Layne Staley and Mike Starr of the Grammy-nominated Seattle band Alice In Chains.The deal will see the publisher acquire a stake in the Layne Staley’s and Mike Starr’s music publishing catalog, as well as master royalty income stream; terms of the deal were not disclosed.The work of the band’s main songwriter, Jerry Cantrell, was not included, nor drummer Sean Kinney or later members Mike Inez and William DuVall. However, the deal does encompass shares in some of the band’s biggest hits, such as “Man in the Box,” “Rooster” and “No Excuses,” as well as their biggest hit, “Would?” The latter song, released in 1992, and not only appeared in the era-defining Cameron Crowe film “Singles” but was also included on the hit soundtrack.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterDejon Ellis, Jr., won a close vote on Sunday to take over as interim leader of IATSE Local 80, in an election marked by lingering hard feelings over last year’s contract negotiations.Local 80 represents about 3,800 grips, as well as craft service workers and set medics. In November, the local voted resoundingly against the new IATSE contract, which covers 13 locals on the West Coast, and which was narrowly ratified.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterFour people have been arrested on federal charges stemming from the overdose death of actor Michael K. Williams last September, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New York announced on Wednesday.Irvin Cartagena, 39, is accused of selling heroin laced with fentanyl to Williams in Manhattan on Sept.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterA new bill would require film workers in New Mexico to pass a hunter safety course if firearms are present on set.The bill, SB 188, was introduced on Monday by Sen. Cliff Pirtle, R-Roswell.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe CMT Music Awards, which agreed to move their date and venue when the 2022 Grammy Awards announced their relocation to Las Vegas, have unveiled the new date and venue for their inaugural broadcast on CBS: The show will now broadcast live from Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium on Monday, April 11, from 8 p.m – 11 p.m. ET; the West Coast broadcast will be delayed, although the show will also be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.“The biggest and best moments in music are coming to CBS this April,” said Jack Sussman, executive vice president, specials, music, live events & alternative programming for CBS.

Sarah, Duchess of York, is said to be planning a TV comeback on US Dancing On Ice amid her former husband Prince Andrew’s legal battle. Fergie is said to be seemingly unfazed by the prospect of Andrew facing jail amidst the Virginia Giuffre sexual assault case, and is instead reportedly considering a series of on-screen offers according to a source. One of the TV offers is for the American version of Dancing On Ice.There have been two previous versions of the reality show, with the first – Skating With Celebrities – taking part in 2006 and seeing stars such as Caitlyn Jenner and Kirsty Swanson taking part.The second – Skating with the Stars – aired in 2010 and saw former Real Housewives of New York star Bethenny Frankel finish as runner-up.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterThe family of Halyna Hutchins, the cinematographer who was shot and killed on the set of “Rust” in October, has taken the first step toward filing a wrongful death lawsuit.A Santa Fe, N.M., attorney, Kristina Martinez, filed a petition on Wednesday to be appointed as the personal representative of Hutchins’ estate. Martinez is seeking appointment “solely for the purpose of investigating and pursuing a lawsuit under the New Mexico Wrongful Death Act in the courts of New Mexico,” the filing states.Hutchins was preparing for a scene in a church building at the Bonanza Creek Ranch, near Santa Fe, when actor Alec Baldwin fired a Colt .45, killing her and injuring the film’s director.