— ITN/Mail: Yet another online video contract for ITN’s prolific On multimedia division – it’s supplying showbiz, lifestyle, general and business news videos to Mail Online. Via Guardian.co.uk.
— Radiohead manager: Radiohead co-manager Brian Message’s ATC, the Mama live music group and Barenaked Ladies managers Nettwerk are forming a new label, Polyphonic, that will let artists keep copyright and a possible 50 percent profit share through new distribution channels like free online releases, NME.com reports.
— Merlin on Spotify: The so-called “fifth major record label” had a slow start since we covered its launch at Midem in 2007. But now Merlin is finding more success thanks to Spotify. The streaming app has the first license given by the umbrella body for international indies; now stats from Spotify’s UK MD Paul Brown show 10 percent of all UK plays were of Merlin-affiliated acts – that’s half of all plays for indie acts.
— Sofia’s Diary: The third season of Bebo’s SPTI-owned teen video drama clocked 1.8 million viewers. That’s less than the first series’ 12.9 million – but that’s because season one’s 65 episodes were cut to just 12 this time. Via NMA.