Edgar Berger

Edgar Berger was born in Wolfsburg. He studied engineering, economics and philosophy in Braunschweig, Paris and Berlin. He graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering and then accepted a job as a consultant at Roland Berger Strategy Consultants.{{cite web|url=http://www.medienwoche.de/en/item/2010/edgar-berger |title=Edgar Berger |website=International Media Convention |accessdate=2014-08-20 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140726104837/http://www.medienwoche.de/en/item/2010/edgar-berger |archivedate=2014-07-26 }} In 1994 he moved to IA Television and later on RTL Television,{{cite web |url = https://www.mediabiz.de/musik/firmen/people/edgar-berger/20077/40309 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110817065555/http://www.mediabiz.de/musik/firmen/people/edgar-berger/20077/40309 |url-status = dead |archive-date = 2011-08-17 |title = Edgar Berger |website = mediabiz |accessdate = 2014-08-20 |language = de }} where he initially worked for RTL II.{{cite news |title = IA-Abgaenge |newspaper = Der Tagesspiegel |date = 1995-11-23 |language = de}} From 1998 to 2000 Berger reported as a political correspondent for RTL Television, giving up-to-date reports from Bonn and Berlin. In 2000 he took a job at Bertelsmann, first as director of the Bertelsmann Content Network in Hamburg and New York, then from 2001, as the chief operating officer.{{cite web |url = http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=16731 |title = Bertelsmann Content Network Extends Management Structure Edgar Berger Now COO |website = Music Industry News Network |date = 2001-01-05 |accessdate = 2014-10-03}}{{cite news |url = http://www.horizont.at/home/unternehmen/people/detail/kommissarischer-coo-fuer-bertelsmann-content-network.html |title = Kommissarischer COO für Bertelsmann Content Network |website = Horizont |date = 2001-01-09 |accessdate = 2014-08-20 |language = de |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141011062535/http://www.horizont.at/home/unternehmen/people/detail/kommissarischer-coo-fuer-bertelsmann-content-network.html |archive-date = 2014-10-11 |url-status = dead }} Berger, working under Rolf Schmidt-Holtz, was thus responsible for the networking of the different business divisions,{{cite news |url = http://www.horizont.net/aktuell/medien/pages/protected/Bertelsmann-Content-Network-positioniert-sich-als-Ideenschmiede_30142.html |archive-url = https://archive.today/20140729115138/http://www.horizont.net/aktuell/medien/pages/protected/Bertelsmann-Content-Network-positioniert-sich-als-Ideenschmiede_30142.html |url-status = dead |archive-date = July 29, 2014 |title = Bertelsmann Content Network positioniert sich als Ideenschmiede |website = Horizont |date = 2001-05-17 |accessdate = 2014-08-20 |language = de }} and later also for worldwide business development.{{cite news |url = http://www.n24.de/n24/Nachrichten/Wirtschaft/d/1332344/sony-music-chef-berger-steigt-auf.html |title = Sony Music-Chef Berger steigt auf |website = N24 |date = 2011-08-09 |accessdate = 2014-08-20 |language = de}}

In June 2005, Bertelsmann announced that Edgar Berger had been appointed head of the German subsidiary of Sony BMG. The joint venture with Sony had only been launched recently, Berger was first appointed as a member of the Board of Management and then, from Spring of 2006, as the sole director.{{cite news |url = https://www.handelsblatt.com/unternehmen/management/koepfe/edgar-berger-wird-neuer-deutschland-chef-von-sony-bmg/2509104.html |title = Edgar Berger wird neuer Deutschland-Chef von Sony BMG |website = Handelsblatt |date = 2005-06-02 |accessdate = 2014-08-20 |language = de}} The decisions he made that received a good deal of attention were strengthening the Munich location of Sony BMG alongside Berlin, and focusing more on German artists.{{cite news |title = Sony Music baut auf München |newspaper = Der Tagesspiegel |date = 2005-10-19 |page = 24 |language = de}}{{cite news |title = Neue Struktur in Berlin |newspaper = Berliner Morgenpost |date = 2005-11-21 |page = 7 |language = de}} The remaining shares in Four Music as well as the rights to TKKG were acquired.{{cite news |author = Tanja Kurz, Michael Beck |title = Sony BMG kauft Four Music |newspaper = Stuttgarter Zeitung |date = 2006-07-18 |page = 16 |language = de}}{{cite news |author = Arndt Ohler |title = Sony BMG weicht in Nebengeschäfte aus |newspaper = Financial Times Deutschland |date = 2006-09-21 |page = 5 |language = de}} In addition, under Berger's leadership, Sony BMG Germany got involved in the concert business and the digital music distribution.{{cite news |url = http://www.dw.de/germanys-flailing-music-industry-seeks-new-talent/a-5200389 |title = Germany's flailing music industry seeks new talent |website = Deutsche Welle |date = 2010-02-02 |accessdate = 2014-10-03}}{{cite news |title = Wir werden uns nicht länger auf den Verkauf von Musik beschränken |website = Die Welt |date = 2007-09-19 |accessdate = 2014-08-20 |page = 14 |url = https://www.welt.de/welt_print/article1194941/Wir-werden-uns-nicht-laenger-auf-den-Verkauf-von-Musik-beschraenken.html |language = de}} Berger has been a member of the Board of Management of the German Phono Association since 2006.{{cite news |title = Deutsche Phonoverbände stellen sich neu auf |website = news aktuell |date = 2006-12-11 |language = de}}

In early 2009 Edgar Berger took over the management for Sony BMG in Austria and Switzerland, along with Germany.{{cite news |title = Sony Music |newspaper = Financial Times Deutschland |date = 2009-01-28 |page = 2 |language = de}} In 2011 he finally moved from Munich to London, where he was named President & CEO International by Doug Morris and later became Chairman & CEO International.{{cite web |url = https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aiA.l5q5Gdnk |title = Edgar Berger Named President & CEO, International, Sony Music Entertainment |website = Bloomberg |date = 2011-08-09 |accessdate = 2014-10-17}} He took over responsibility for the record label's worldwide business outside the United States.{{cite web |url = http://www.ulitzer.com/node/1939091 |title = Edgar Berger Named President & CEO, International, Sony Music Entertainment |website = Ulitzer |author = PR Newswire |date = 2011-08-09 |accessdate = 2014-10-03}}{{cite news |title = Musik vom Maschinenbauer |newspaper = WirtschaftsWoche |date = 2011-08-15 |page = 14 |language = de}} Berger was on the board of the German Music Industry Association (Bundesverband Musikindustrie) and he is still on the board of the Cultural Association of German Industry (Kulturkreis der deutschen Wirtschaft).{{cite web |url = http://www.musikindustrie.de/fileadmin/news/presse/Pressemitteilungen_2006/071005_Gorny_Bundesverband_Musikindustrie_FINAL.pdf |title = Gorny übernimmt Vorstandsvorsitz |date = 2007-10-05 |accessdate = 2014-08-20 |language = de |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110103202609/http://www.musikindustrie.de/fileadmin/news/presse/Pressemitteilungen_2006/071005_Gorny_Bundesverband_Musikindustrie_FINAL.pdf |archive-date = 2011-01-03 |url-status = dead }}{{cite web |website = Kulturkreis der deutschen Wirtschaft |url = http://www.kulturkreis.eu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=39&Itemid=29 |title = Vorstand |accessdate = 2014-08-20 |language = de |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140808170500/http://www.kulturkreis.eu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=39&Itemid=29 |archive-date = 2014-08-08 |url-status = dead }} He is also a member of the Main Board of IFPI.{{cite web |url = http://www.ifpi.org/board.php |title = Our Boards |publisher = IFPI |accessdate = 2014-10-17 |archive-date = 2014-10-19 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141019133525/http://ifpi.org/board.php |url-status = dead }}

In 2006, Berger argued for a better protection of "intellectual property".{{cite news |author = Hans-Jürgen Jacobs |title = Lieber wenig, aber richtig |website = Süddeutsche Zeitung |date = 2006-07-10 |accessdate = 2014-08-20 |page = 15 |url = http://www.sueddeutsche.de/wirtschaft/musikmarkt-lieber-wenig-aber-richtig-1.499911}} At the same time he also called for the restriction of the right to private copying as well as a ban on "intelligent recording programs". He stated that it should only be authorized to make copies from one’s own original and no longer from third parties, some downloaders may be banned from the internet.{{cite news |url = http://www.dw.de/new-data-law-could-benefit-music-pirates/a-3220471-1 |title = New Data Law Could Benefit Music Pirates |website = Deutsche Welle |date = 2008-03-30 |accessdate = 2014-10-03}} In 2010, Berger asked that ISPs be obliged to commit more strongly to the protection of "intellectual property".{{cite news |author = Christina M. Berr, Hans-Jürgen Jakobs |url = http://www.sueddeutsche.de/medien/sony-music-chef-berger-tv-show-als-karrierehindernis-1.12554 |title = TV-Show als Karrierehindernis |website = Süddeutsche Zeitung |date = 2010-03-04 |accessdate = 2014-08-20 |language = de}} Once again in 2012, Berger spoke out for tougher laws against "pirated" copies. He based his demands on the fact that in 2011 about 3.6 billion tracks had been sold, while 40 billion tracks had been downloaded illegally.{{cite news |author = Thomas Heuzeroth |url = https://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/webwelt/article13881492/Das-Internet-muss-frei-sein-nicht-umsonst.html |title = Das Internet muss frei sein, nicht umsonst |website = Die Welt |date = 2012-02-22 |accessdate = 2014-08-20 |language = de}}

Berger described Germany as a "developing country in the digital sense",{{cite news |author = Ole Reißmann, Konrad Lischka |url = http://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/netzpolitik/streit-mit-der-gema-plattenbosse-rebellieren-gegen-youtube-blockade-a-768816.html |title = Streit mit der Gema: Plattenbosse rebellieren gegen YouTube-Blockade |website = Spiegel Online |date = 2011-06-16 |accessdate = 2014-08-20 |language = de}} after GEMA prevented the featuring of music videos on YouTube.{{cite news |url = http://www.telecompaper.com/news/sony-music-chief-wants-youtube-gema-to-settle-dispute--767103 |title = Sony Music chief wants YouTube, Gema to settle dispute |website = Telecompaper |date = 2010-11-08 |accessdate = 2014-10-03}}{{cite news |url = http://www.telecompaper.com/news/sony-music-criticizes-gema-digital-restrictions--857705 |title = Sony Music criticizes Gema digital restrictions |website = Telecompaper |date = 2012-02-24 |accessdate = 2014-10-03}} He was frustrated that GEMA acted "against their

interests".{{cite web|url=http://msuilr.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/516973-Michigan-State-Jnl-of-Intl-Law-21.3_R2-2.pdf |title=International Law Review |publisher=Michigan State University College of Law |accessdate=2014-10-03 |year=2013 |issue=3 |volume=21 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141015135505/http://msuilr.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/516973-Michigan-State-Jnl-of-Intl-Law-21.3_R2-2.pdf |archivedate=2014-10-15 }} Berger argued for more support of services like Spotify or Vevo in Germany, because he "loves the internet".{{cite news |author = Ryan Heise |url = https://www.theverge.com/2012/2/25/2823087/sony-music-ceo-edgar-berger-internet |title = Sony Music CEO loves the internet, wishes he could put music videos on YouTube in Germany |website = The Verge |date = 2012-02-25 |accessdate = 2014-10-03}} In 2013 Berger admitted that the music industry should have provided certain services more quickly. The large service providers also carried some responsibility for the decline of the market by approximately half its volume, he said.{{cite news |author = Klaus Boldt |url = http://www.manager-magazin.de/politik/artikel/a-895320.html |title = Das Öl des digitalen Zeitalters |website = Manager Magazin |date = 2013-04-19 |accessdate = 2014-08-20 |language = de}} After sales figures began to rise again, he stated that digital sales were not a threat to music, but instead would "save" it.{{cite news |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/27/technology/music-industry-records-first-revenue-increase-since-1999.html |title = Music Industry Sales Rise, and Digital Revenue Gets the Credit |author = Eric Pfanner |website = The New York Times |date = 2013-02-26 |accessdate = 2014-08-20}}

{{Reflist|2}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20141016155721/http://www.sonymusic.com/executives/edgar-berger/ Website] of Sony Music International
• [https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-21594406 Interview] on BBC News Technology

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{{succession box

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|title = Chairman & CEO International of Sony Music Entertainment

|years = 2011-2017

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Category:1966 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Wolfsburg

Category:German music managers

Category:Sony Music