Talk:Merlin Network/Archive 1

Semi-protection
This page has recently been vandalised repeatedly, and Merlin Network wishes to request semi-protection. I edit on behalf of Merlin Network Sam Shemtob (talk) 19:55, 28 February 2016 (UTC)
 * ✅ Article was given temporary semi-protection which expired 6 March 2016. Editing activity appears to have calmed down. Keri (talk) 12:03, 12 April 2016 (UTC)

Contributors Note
In accordance with the Wikipedia guidelines, I am working on trying to improve the Merlin Network page by adding secondary and tertiary citations and making minor amendments to the grammar, punctuation, etc. I edit on behalf of Merlin Network K E O'Leary (talk) 12.55, 12 April 2016 (UTC)

Timeline section
Per the Manual of Style, "Prose is preferred in articles as prose allows the presentation of detail and clarification of context, in a way that a simple list may not. Prose flows, like one person speaking to another. It is best suited to articles, because their purpose is to explain." This section should be completely revised and rewritten as prose. It is also sailing close to the wind when compared with the similar list provided under the heading "Archive" on Merlin's website here. It isn't a copyvio, but it is very lazy writing. Keri (talk) 14:00, 12 April 2016 (UTC)

External links modified
Hello fellow Wikipedians,

I have just modified 1 one external link on Merlin Network. Please take a moment to review my edit. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple FaQ for additional information. I made the following changes:
 * Added archive http://web.archive.org/web/20130323113019/http://a2im.org/2011/05/24/merlin-releases-survey-results-pointing-to-global-indie-label-successes/ to http://a2im.org/2011/05/24/merlin-releases-survey-results-pointing-to-global-indie-label-successes/

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Requested Edit to Merlin Network Page
In accordance with Wikipedia guidelines, the page has been written into prose and amended to be from a neutral point of view. As such, please remove the timeline and amend the article to read as below:

"Merlin is the global digital rights agency for the world's independent label sector, with a membership accounting for more than 10% of the global recorded music market.

It was established to allow digital services the opportunity to globally license - via a single deal, instead of hundreds of individual local deals - commercially successful independent music labels from across the world.

Launched in 2007, after the appointment of current chief executive Charles Caldas, the organisation now has over 700 members from 42 countries. It also represents more than 20,000 independent labels and aggregators worldwide, including Beggars Group, Domino, Epitaph, !K7, Kobalt Label Services, Merge, Ninja Tune, [PIAS], Secretly Group, Sub Pop, and Warp.

On their behalf, Merlin has licensed digital services including SoundCloud, YouTube Red, Spotify, Pandora, Google Play, Deezer, Vevo, KKBOX and Guvera, and reached copyright infringement settlements with, among others, Limewire, XM Satellite Radio and Grooveshark.

The organisation operates on a non-exclusive basis, and its stated remit is to “enhance the value of our members rights in deals that cannot be easily negotiated locally or individually, or are not covered adequately by existing arrangements.”

Merlin is owned and controlled by a not-for-profit foundation, supervised by a member-elected board of 15 individuals - five each from North America, Europe and Rest of the World.

The current chairman is Beggars Group founder Martin Mills.

Merlin’s has been recognised by the music and technology sectors. CEO Charles Caldas received the IMPALA annual outstanding contribution award in 2013, while the organisation was named ‘Independent Champion’ at the 2015 A2IM Libera Awards. "

Thanks, K E O&#39;Leary (talk) 13:26, 25 April 2016 (UTC)
 * ✅ Keri (talk) 15:13, 25 April 2016 (UTC)
 * The edit seems fine, and as you know the timeline list was a bit of an eyesore imho. Although I have altered the article to reflect the rewrite, please bear in mind that it is not now carved in stone and other editors will still be at liberty to make whatever alterations they see fit, within policy. Thanks for taking the time to do this, and for being upfront about the paid editing, btw. Keri (talk) 15:18, 25 April 2016 (UTC)

Requested Edit to Merlin Network Page
In light of the 2016 Libera Awards and Merlin's 2016 Members Survey (see citations), I would like to suggest the following amendments:

Current text -

"Merlin is the global digital rights agency for the world's independent label sector, with a membership accounting for more than 10% of the global recorded music market. [...]

CEO Charles Caldas received the IMPALA annual outstanding contribution award in 2013, while the organisation was named ‘Independent Champion’ at the 2015 A2IM Libera Awards. "

Suggested amendment -

"Merlin is the global digital rights agency for the world's independent label sector, with a membership accounting for more than 12% of the global recorded music market. [...]

The organisation was named ‘Independent Champion’ at both the 2015 and 2016 A2IM Libera Awards, while CEO Charles Caldas received the IMPALA annual outstanding contribution award in 2013.

Thanks, K E O&#39;Leary (talk) 13:53, 21 June 2016 (UTC)
 * ✅ Keri (talk) 12:02, 28 June 2016 (UTC)

Neutrality?
Is this intended to be an advertisement or can other points of view get reflected too?

Nothing is mentioned about for example their frequent frivolous takedown orders, which should be considered a bare minimum if the article is intended as anything except an advertisement for the highly controversial organization that is the topic for the article.

Article protection status can't be allowed as a tool to block well known and substantial information only because a controversial organization might consider it negative for their public relation value.

Calling widespread criticism "vandalism" when you (explicitly stated) work for the criticized organization is disingenuous and abusive.

83.233.47.220 (talk) 20:50, 24 September 2016 (UTC)


 * Are there reliable 3rd party sources to back up your claims? As the article states that they are actually in the business of digital rights, there would need to be some substantial sources for content claiming that they were "abusing" (for want of a better word) their authority. Reddit, YouTubers, Twitter, etc, are not reliable 3rd party sources, incidentally; credible journalistic articles might be. Keri (talk) 21:21, 24 September 2016 (UTC)