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NEWS20 July 2004 Independent record labels unhappy with Sony – BMG merger Independent record labels are disappointed by the EU allowing Sony and BMG's merger, saying it was given "easy clearance". The deal, approved without conditions, means the four major companies control around 80% of the world's music. Story from BBC More about corporate censorship Related reading Independent record labels unhappy with Sony – BMG merger Small record labels fear more corporate control: "This merger is not about economic necessity in a changing market, it is about the desire to dominate and to control the outlets at media and retail level” 20 July 2004 Clear Channel: September 11 & Corporate Censorship Corporate censor no. 1, or just the market leader? A collection of articles on Clear Channel - including the debate on the infamous list of 'potentially offensive songs', which Clear Channel suggested its 1.300 radio stations not to play following the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US 01 December 2002 Kris Kristofferson Video interview with American folk singer Kris Kristofferson about his personal experiences with music censorship in USA - and in Russia 31 March 2008 More mergers: consolidation in the music industry With EMI, Warner Music, Sony and Bertelsmann racing to get regulatory approval for their planned mergers - what will consolidation mean for the music industry? 19 November 2003 Roskilde Festival 2003, Damon Albarn on music censorship Damon Albarn, Tony Allen and Ty on self-censorship, corporate censorship, censorship in Africa, and music during wartime - video excerpts from the Freemuse organized press conference on freedom of musical expression, Roskilde Festival 2003 26 August 2003 Ojos de Brujo Video interview with Max and Xavi, percussionists of Ojos de Brujo. Censorship and money in the Spanish music industry 26 August 2003 Damon Albarn: Music is destroyed by censorship The record industry exerts a covert censorship, which makes it difficult for musicians to express themselves freely, was the message from Damon Albarn, Tony Allen and Ty at the Roskilde Festival 2003 01 July 2003 Wal-Mart: Market censors and market mechanisms Background information on the biggest retailer in the US. Some Wal-Mart retailers refuse to carry CDs with the Parental Advisory Sticker, a few also go so far as to boycott artists if there is a 'dirty' word, a 'controversial' cover, or 'explicit' lyrics 01 February 2001 UK: Britain at War Extensive article on how music was "restricted" during the Falkland and Gulf war, with focus on UK legislation and corporate censorship. Presented by Martin Cloonan at the 1st World Conference on Music and Censorship, 1998 01 January 2001 The music industry from the perspective of women About the music industry from the perspective of women, based on interviews with Myriam, a Senegalese rapper from the group ALIF and the singer Ajah Sy 27 May 2005 USA: The US rock group Pearl Jam’s anti-Bush statement censored on webcast Parts of a Pearl Jam live concert webcast was left out by the main sponsor AT&T. When the lead singer sang “George Bush, leave this world alone” transmission was interrupted 15 August 2007 USA: Dixie Chicks' triumph over censorship: Five Grammys It was a victory over censorship and death threats when Dixie Chicks 'swept' the most prestigious honours in the global music calendar, the Grammy Awards 12 February 2007 3rd Freemuse World Conference on Music and Censorship 200 professional musicians, scholars, and composers from 22 countries met at the 3rd Freemuse World Conference on 25-26 November 2006 in Istanbul, Turkey 18 December 2006 USA: Dixie Chicks film about censorship censored The American tv-network NBC and the CW Television Network has refused to air ads for the new Dixie Chicks documentary, ‘Shut Up & Sing’ 30 October 2006 India: Album recalled and destroyed because it offends Christians EMI Music has pulled the new album by the American Heavy Metal band Slayer from music stores across India because of protests from the Christian community 12 October 2006 China: Rolling Stones had five songs censored Chinese censors restricted the Rolling Stones from performing five songs when they made their debut in mainland China on 8 April 2006. 10 April 2006 China: The Rolling Stones accepts censorship Veteran rock star group The Rolling Stones will likely follow the beat of China's censors when they perform in China in April concert 03 March 2006 Tunisia/Egypt: Najla too sexy for Egyptian tv The Egyptian music channel Mazzika will not air Tunisian singer and dancer Najla’s new music video because it is considered pornographic 23 February 2006 USA/UK: Media giant claimed to threaten British music “Texan media firm Clear Channel Communications is increasingly casting its shadow over the music scene in Britain,” writes Granville Williams 23 February 2006 Freemuse report on censorship in post 9/11 USA ’Singing in the Echo Chamber’. Music censorship in the U.S. after September 11. New report published by Freemuse 13 February 2006 USA: Rock superstars censored for their lyrics On February 5, 2006, rock music veterans The Rolling Stones were censored during their performance at the Super Bowl - one of the most-watched events on US tv 10 February 2006 UK: Banned group returns to stage They were censored on Top of the Pops and infuriated the National Front in the late 70’s. Now the Gang of Four returns to the stage for a few gigs. Vocalist Jon King claims Gang of Four was banned more than the Sex Pistols 11 January 2005 List of banned songs in Zambia 2004 A few Zambian artists gained further popularity in 2004 by releasing controversial songs, but several artists learned a tough lesson when songs with “vulgar language” were banned by local radio stations and condemned publicly. “Opinion” in Times of Zambia supported the censorship 05 January 2005 Postscript to report on censorship in Zimbabwe "Playing with Fire: Fear and Self-Censorship in Zimbabwean Music". Extensive Freemuse report, including case studies on Thomas Mapfumo and Oliver Mtukudzi. Read abstract and full report (PDF) 05 January 2005 Wal-Mart is sued over rude lyrics The parents of a 13-year-old girl are suing US supermarket giant Wal-Mart over a CD by rock group Evanescence that contains swear words. Wal-Mart has a policy of not stocking CDs which carry parental advisory labels 11 December 2004 Musical responses to 9/11: From Conservative patriotism to radicalism This article poses the question: What would a suitable American popular music response to the events of 9/11 sound like? Read the chapter by Martin Cloonan, from the book "9/11 – The world's all out of tune" 09 December 2004 Musical responses to 9/11: List of allegedly 'banned' songs A list of "lyrically inappropriate" songs banned from some US radio stations in the wake of the World Trade Center attacks in 2001 09 December 2004 Zimbabwean rapper Maskiri banned Maskiri says his latest album has been banned from the airwaves because of what State radio bosses considered offensive content 30 November 2004 Repression against musicians of Belarus Open letter from Belarusian musicians concerning political pressure being placed on musicians who allegedly oppose President Aleksandr Lukashenko 08 October 2004 Reggae stars dropped because of 'homophobic' lyrics A collection of articles and background information on Hate Music and the current debate, where Elephant Man and Vybz Kartel, the two controversial reggae acts accused of inciting violence against homosexuals, have been dropped from the UK Mobo Awards show 08 September 2004