What is a Music Publisher?
	The Road towards the Future
The music publisher stands at the crossroads of musical creation and the market for musical works, i.e. the notes and the lyrics in audio and in print form. The music publisher must discover, nurture, stimulate, develop and promote musical creation. In doing so, the publisher has a vital role in selecting and delivering high quality content and in ensuring the renewal of musical works. Another aspect of the music publisher’s mission is that he/she will bring the music to the public. His/her role is crucial in the musical chain since the music publisher helps music meet the market through contracts with users. Finally, the music publisher is committed to making creative investments and providing compensation to the creator in consideration of a share in the income generated from the use of copyrighted music.
	Music publishers are now adapting and meeting the challenge of the new and changing needs of consumers. Music publishers are active in music video, cable and satellite broadcasting, karaoke, music in interactive products (whether games or other multimedia products), MIDI systems, ringtones, film music, advertising music, and of course on-line. With respect to on-line uses, music publishers are concentrating on the definition and establishment of international, privately driven solutions to provide a global answer for the market and pave the way for the continued realisation of their creative potential.
In the past, the publication and sale of printed music provided the majority of earnings for composers and publishers. Although printed music remains today a vital part of the print music publishing industry, composers and publishers have also gradually adapted to new consumer uses through the exercise and management of copyright. One example of this is when copyrighted music is publicly performed, commercially recorded, or used in a radio or television broadcast. Adapting to market needs has allowed music publishing to continue to realise its creative mission. Indeed, music publishing's commercial success and ability to secure an adequate reward for both creators and publishers from those that benefit from music are the force behind new investment in musical creation and the nurturing of new works.