Here's a brief update from Cannes...
The bad news is that the attendance is definitely down. The aisles are empty and there are significantly fewer exhibitors.
But the good news is that there is still a lot of business to transact. I met with many new music services (both Internet and mobile) and our VP of Labels, Michele Ito, was booked solid with new content meetings.
Obviously, the music business is struggling to find a good business model that balances artist rights, compensation and user friendliness. It's evident that a lot of companies are doing a lot of thinking and experimentation. Some of these may not survive till the next Midem. But I'm sure that many will find a viable customer base.
For myself and BFM, it's still an exciting time. Nothing at this show quells my enthusiasm for the growth and development of BFM as well as the music industry. We may not know where the future is head (sorry, Gerd). Some of the uncertainty is scary, certainly. But for the most part, it's all good.
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