June 19, 2009

By By Wolfgang Spahr, Berlin

The German music fair and conference Popkomm will not be taking place this year, it has been confirmed.

Popkomm was originally to take place on September 16 to 18 at a new venue - Station Berlin - with substantially lower prices.

"Amid continuing difficulties within the industry and in agreement with the Association of Independent Sound Media Companies (VUT) and the Association of the German Music Industry (BVMI), Popkomm GmbH has decided to postpone the music industry platform Popkomm for one year," said a statement.

Popkomm will be taking place again in Berlin in summer 2010, with a different general concept.

"A situation that was becoming clear early this year at MIDEM in Cannes also seems to be affecting Popkomm in Berlin," said managing director of Popkomm GmbH Dr. Ralf Kleinhenz in a statement. "Despite positive reactions to the new event location and a satisfactory number of bookings by exhibitors, because of the economic situation we anticipate a considerable decline in trade visitor attendance. Out of responsibility towards the exhibitors we have therefore decided to postpone Popkomm for one year."

In 2008, 843 exhibitors from 52 countries took part in Popkomm. It attracted more than 14,000 trade visitors from major and independent labels, publishers, as well as companies from music-related sectors such as the concert, movie, television, advertising, gaming and mobile entertainment sectors.

The organizers are hopeful of receiving support from the German federal government in 2010.

Popkomm was established in D?sseldorf in 1989, after which it moved to Cologne in 1990 and to Berlin in 2003. Last year, there was criticism from within the industry concerning the structure of Popkomm. Sony Music CEO of the GSA (Germany, Switzerland, Austria) region Edgar Berger had criticized the fact that music no longer formed the main focal point of Popkomm. Both Sony and EMI withdrew from the fair.

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