A look into the world of GVL data
GVL's rights holders receive their remuneration based on the use of audio or audiovisual productions. In order to determine this remuneration, GVL requires information on who owns which rights to a production or who has contributed to it as well as detailed data on the use of these productions.
GVL receives the repertoire and contribution notifications from the producers and performers via the label.gvl and my.gvl portals. Internationally, the claims are asserted via central databases of the worldwide collecting societies.
At the same time, radio and television broadcasters provide GVL with the so-called usage reports - around 17 million per year.
In order to distribute the money reliably and on time, these two sets of data must be compared with each other and the money must be accounted for on a track-by-track basis (i.e. every time a production is used) - for each individual rights holder.
"The main challenge is to reconcile the different technical formats and the very different quality of the data supplied," says Konstantin Pitharas, Head of Data Management at GVL and one of our data experts. "This is where innovation is particularly important for us at GVL. We are using new technical means to gradually remedy the issues that caused us problems in the past."
GVL is pursuing two approaches to improve data quality and speed up data processing: Standardisation (e.g. for the various data formats, which are to be brought visibly into line) and automation (e.g. for checking the quality of data records).
However, fast and smooth distributions require data from our performers and producers above all, emphasises Pitharas: "It is important that our rights holders report their repertoire and contributions promptly and accurately. As soon as we know who is entitled to what, our systems can start calculating the remuneration."
