LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) – SESAC Music Group has acquired HAAWK, a media software and services company that specializes in copyright management and monetization for independent music, film, TV, and video catalogs. HAAWK, founded in 2017 by Ryan Born, provides comprehensive administration for YouTube’s Content ID and Facebook’s Rights Manager platforms and serves a variety of record labels, publishers, and rights holders. The company also operates Diistro, a distribution service, and Keyframe Audio, a micro-sync music licensing platform.
HAAWK will continue to be headquartered in Los Angeles, with Born remaining at the helm. It will now operate alongside AudioSalad, a content management and distribution service SESAC Music Group acquired in 2022. The acquisition expands SESAC’s Music Services division, which is one of the four major units within SESAC Music Group, including Church Music Resources, Audiovisual Music, and the SESAC Performing Rights division.
Born expressed excitement about the partnership, saying, “HAAWK already leads the way in providing unmatched opportunities and increased royalty revenue for our clients across YouTube, Facebook, and social video platforms… By partnering with SESAC Music Group, we’re opening the door to even greater possibilities, enabling us to scale globally and offer more advanced royalty collection and administration services.”
John Josephson, SESAC’s CEO, echoed this sentiment, noting, “HAAWK’s mission aligns with SESAC Music Group in delivering maximum value and transparency to music creators. Their leadership and technology strengthen our services for independent labels and publishers worldwide.”
The acquisition of HAAWK is the latest in a series of deals for SESAC. In recent years, the company acquired organizations such as Music Services, AudioSalad, Audiam, and the Harry Fox Agency, continuing its growth and expansion within the music rights and administration sector.
