Links

AIMMA: American Information & Media Management Association – http://www.aimma.org
Founded in 1987 as the American Video Duplication Association (AVDA) and then as the American Independent Media Manufacturers Association, AIMMA has evolved into the American Information Media Management Association, a multi industry trade organization. Its members comprise the majority of the non-theatrical replication and duplication capacity in the North American Market as well as members of the print, multimedia, creative, mastering, web development and post production industries.
AIMMA is involved in best practices issues, legal issues, and is interested in exploring new technologies, as well as providing a forum for members to learn about the latest advances in media manufacturing. Of equal interest are the issues which surround the manufacturing process, such as packaging, printing, mastering, post production, postal distribution, international trade practices, and manufacturing standards.

BDA: Blu-ray Disc Association – http://www.blu-raydisc.com
The Blu-ray Disc Association is a group of companies dedicated to developing and promoting the Blu-ray Disc format and is open to any corporation or organization with an interest in creating, upholding and/or promoting the BD formats. The aim of the BDA is to:

•    Develop Blu-ray Disc specifications
•    Ensure Blu-ray Disc products are implemented by licensees according to the intent of the specifications
•    Promote wide adoption of Blu-ray Disc formats
•    Provide useful information to those who are interested in supporting Blu-ray Disc formats

BPI: British Phonographic Institute – http://www.bpi.co.uk
The BPI is the representative voice of the UK recorded music business. It is a trade organization funded by its members, which include the UK’s four major record labels and hundreds of independent music companies. BPI members account for approximately 90% of all recorded music sold in the UK, and globally the UK’s recorded music market is the third biggest.
Established in 1973, the BPI was mandated to “discuss matters of common interest and represent the British record industry in negotiations with Government departments, relevant unions and other interested parties and to promote the welfare and interests of the British record industry.”
The BPI also organises the annual BRIT Awards show as well as the Classical BRIT Awards show. The organising company BRIT Awards limited, is a fully owned subsidiary of the BPI. Substantial proceeds from both shows go to the BRIT Trust, the charitable arm of the BPI that has donated almost £15m to charitable causes nationwide, since its foundation in 1989.

The DVD & Blu-ray Release Report – http://www.dvdreleasereport.com

The DVD & Blu-ray Release Report is published 48 times annually and tracks DVD and Blu-ray release activity by product source, formatting, pricing and type of product being released in the US domestic market. Distribution normally takes place on Monday as an email blast to subscribers with an interest in the home entertainment packaged media market. Distribution is also available as a PDF file via download at the site.
Excluded from DVD product release totals are adult, audio-only, gray market imports, DVD-R releases and promotional usage of the same underlying SKU (box sets, twin packs, on-packs, etc.).

Futuresource Consulting – http://www.futuresource-consulting.com
Futuresource Consulting is a specialist research and knowledge-based consulting company, formed in June 2008 through a merger between Understanding & Solutions and Decision Tree Consulting.
The company’s insight and global market coverage are based on informed regional expertise, ensuring its clients are fully supported in their research, analysis, strategic planning and decision making.
Its expertise extends through a range of markets such as:
•    Consumer Electronics
•    Digital Imaging
•    Entertainment Media
•    Broadcast
•    Optical Manufacturing
•    Storage Media Communications Media
•    IT & Professional
•    Interactive Whiteboards

IDMA: International Digital Media Alliance – http://www.idmadvda.org
The IDMA is a non-profit organization funded through membership dues and corporate sponsorships. Membership is open to anyone involved in the creation of digital disc content. Most of our members are developers who specialize in the creation of optical disc multimedia programs for training, digital preservation, education, presentations, marketing and entertainment. Our members are among the most expert professionals in the digital media community.
The IDMA is dedicated to making multimedia as simple, reliable and foolproof as possible for the end user, without sacrificing top-quality production values, in fact we foster best practices in the industry.
The IDMA’s website offers access to the industry’s most knowledgeable practitioners.

IDDA: International Disc Duplicating Association – http://www.discdupe.org
The IDDA is independent of any supplier or group, that acts as a forum for organizations involved in the business of recording onto CD-R and DVD+/-R. Membership is open to anyone whose business is involved in any way with CD & DVD duplication, as well as other media duplication such as flash memory.
•    To maintain ethical standards for members.
–    Members will give honest advice in the selection of products and services and promote goods for sale and services on their merits.
–    Members will respect the confidential information of their clients and of other members.
–    Members will respect the intellectual property of others, and not encourage the profiting from other parties copyright rights.
–    Members will ensure that all their dealings with others are on an ethical and honest basis.
•    To test & disseminate information on products
•    To work with suppliers on meeting the needs of the members.
•    To firstly reduce the distribution of unlicensed recordable discs, and to reduce the license charge on recordable discs.
•    To promote technologies that can lead to growth of the disc duplicating industry.
The IDDA operates at minimum costs and effort by the committee and the members by using the Internet both for communication and discussion.

IFPI: International Federation of the Phonographic Industry – http://www.ifpi.org
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organization that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is headquartered in London, UK, with regional offices in Brussels, Hong Kong, Miami  and Moscow.
Its stated mission is to promote the value of recorded music, safeguard the rights of record producers and expand the commercial uses of recorded music. Its services to members include legal policy advice (lobbying), anti-piracy enforcement, litigation and regulatory affairs, market research and communications support.

MESA: The Media & Entertainment Services Alliance – http://www.mesalliance.org
MESA represents companies that provide services to home video, interactive entertainment (games), music and electronic publishing, including: replicators, authoring houses, digital services, packagers & printers, fulfilment services, recycling services, supply chain services, warehousing & transportation, marketing services, creative services, merchandisers, retail services, storage and asset management, IT system solutions, management consultancies, technology solution providers, and equipment manufacturers.
Its mission is to:
•    Support service providers in building efficiencies in the creation, production and distribution of physical and digital media and entertainment.
•    Foster end-to-end collaboration among entertainment service providers, their customers and trading partners
•    Provide tangible benefits to members including: market intelligence, research initiatives, industry advocacy an
•    d collaborative workgroups

MTA: MEDIA-TECH Association – http://www.media-tech.net
The MEDIA-TECH Association is a body created in 2001 to serve every facet of the optical and removable storage media manufacturing industry, spanning the range from all current formats of optical discs and magnetic media to future format Blu-ray Disc. Member companies range from content owners and licensees through designers and software developers, to raw material and equipment manufacturers. They are involved in the entertainment industry; the games market; data storage innovations; plastics technology; injection moulding; quality assurance; printing, packing, wrapping and distribution; sales and marketing; and many other areas of expertise within the media manufacturing industry.
Represented in Europe, Asia and the Americas, the MEDIA-TECH Association aims at providing its members with a forum for information, discussion and exchange of ideas, as well as ways to develop business opportunities and strategic partnerships. Another premier goal is the assurance that the industry as a whole continues to grow and stay dynamic.

MPAA: The Motion Picture Association of America – http://www.mpaa.org
MPAA, together with the Motion Picture Association (MPA) and MPAA’s other subsidiaries and affiliates, serves as the voice and advocate of the American motion picture, home video and television industries in the United States and around the world. MPAA’s members are the six major US motion picture studios: The Walt Disney Studios; Paramount Pictures Corporation; Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc.; Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation; Universal City Studios, LLLP; and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. It is a proud champion of intellectual property rights, free and fair trade, innovative consumer choices, freedom of expression and the enduring power of movies to enrich and enhance people’s lives.
MPAA’s principal US offices are located in Washington, DC, and Los Angeles. It also has content protection teams in Chicago, Dallas and New York. The MPA, and other subsidiaries and affiliates of MPAA, have commercial and regional offices in Brussels, Singapore, Sao Paulo, Mexico City and Toronto. Along with its own subsidiaries and affiliates, MPAA works with many content protection groups and other organizations in more than 30 countries around the world.

RIAA: Recording Industry Association of America – http://www.riaa.com
The RIAA is the trade organization that supports and promotes the creative and financial vitality of the major music companies. Its members are the music labels that comprise the most vibrant record industry in the world. RIAA members create, manufacture and/or distribute approximately 85% of all legitimate recorded music produced and sold in the United States.
In support of this mission, the RIAA works to protect the intellectual property and First Amendment rights of artists and music labels; conduct consumer, industry and technical research; and monitor and review state and federal laws, regulations and policies. The RIAA also certifies Gold, Platinum, Multi-Platinum and Diamond sales awards as well as Los Premios De Oro y Platino, an award celebrating Latin music sales.

UK Music – http://www.ukmusic.org
UK Music is an umbrella organization representing the collective interests of the UK’s commercial music industry, from artists, musicians, songwriters and composers, to major and independent record labels, managers, music publishers, studio producers and collecting societies. Its members include the Association of Independent Music (AIM), the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers & Authors (BASCA), BPI (British Recorded Music Industry) Limited, PRS for Music, the Music Managers Forum (MMF), the Music Producers Guild (MPG), the Music Publishers Association Limited (MPA), the Musicians Union (MU) and Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL).