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Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio news.

You're listening to Bloomberg Business Week with Carol Masser and Tim Stenebeck on Bloomberg Radio and Television.

You're listening to Bloomberg Business Week with Carol Masser and Tim Stenebeck on Bloomberg Radio and Television.

All right, everybody getting ready to wrap up on BusinessWeek. To the Grammys, though, that are this weekend taking place in the Crypto dot Com Arena in Los Angeles. Ninety four categories in the music industry recognized. It is billed as music Music's Biggest night, and it will be an evening with an additional focus to raise funds to support relief efforts at aid music professionals impacted by the wildfires in Los Angeles.

All right, everybody getting ready to wrap up on BusinessWeek. To the Grammys, though, that are this weekend taking place in the Crypto dot Com Arena in Los Angeles. Ninety four categories in the music industry recognized. It is billed as music Music's Biggest night, and it will be an evening with an additional focus to raise funds to support relief efforts at aid music professionals impacted by the wildfires in Los Angeles.

We're delighted to have back with us Harvey Mason.

We're delighted to have back with us Harvey Mason.

The CEO of the Recording Academy, It's the organization behind the Grammys. He's also a record producer, songwriter and film producer. He joins us from Thecrypto dot Com arena. Harvey, good to have you back with us. It's nice to check in with you each and every year. This year though quite a bit different, given the fires in Los Angeles that so much of the community is recovering and cleaning up after. How are you thinking about that? As the backdrop for the Grammys this year.

The CEO of the Recording Academy, It's the organization behind the Grammys. He's also a record producer, songwriter and film producer. He joins us from Thecrypto dot Com arena. Harvey, good to have you back with us. It's nice to check in with you each and every year. This year though quite a bit different, given the fires in Los Angeles that so much of the community is recovering and cleaning up after. How are you thinking about that? As the backdrop for the Grammys this year.

Well, first, Carol and Tim, thank you for having me. It is good to be here and talk about the show. It's going to be a very different show. We are based here in la As are many of our creative community members and members of the Academy, so we've been affected by these fires. We are going to set a different tone on the show. We're still an honor music. We're gonna have you performances and awards, but we're also going to raise money. We're going to raise awareness. Shawn a spotlight on some of the heroes that have been saving home, saving lives. So we hope we can be a light in a time that's been pretty dark for a lot of people.

Well, first, Carol and Tim, thank you for having me. It is good to be here and talk about the show. It's going to be a very different show. We are based here in la As are many of our creative community members and members of the Academy, so we've been affected by these fires. We are going to set a different tone on the show. We're still an honor music. We're gonna have you performances and awards, but we're also going to raise money. We're going to raise awareness. Shawn a spotlight on some of the heroes that have been saving home, saving lives. So we hope we can be a light in a time that's been pretty dark for a lot of people.

Yeah, no doubt about it.

Yeah, no doubt about it.

And you know, we've had some conversations with folks in various industries who have been impacted directly.

And you know, we've had some conversations with folks in various industries who have been impacted directly.

What can you tell us about I hope your family and your community are well, but.

What can you tell us about I hope your family and your community are well, but.

I am curious what you can tell us about firsthand and what you are hearing about.

I am curious what you can tell us about firsthand and what you are hearing about.

Folks in the music industry who have been impacted.

Folks in the music industry who have been impacted.

Well, I can tell you a lot because we're hearing from them every day, all day long. People in our community are struggling. Obviously, I'm safe and I'm fortunate. Thankfully my house is and my family or my house and my family are okay. But the music community has been hit very very hard. Music Cares, which is our philanthropic affiliate, We're getting hundreds of requests a day for help for just basic needs, food, shelter, water, And now we're going to start seeing a second wave of the need, which is instruments. Studios have been burned down, guitars have been ruined. There's so many people in our community that are going to struggle to make a living after this fire.

Well, I can tell you a lot because we're hearing from them every day, all day long. People in our community are struggling. Obviously, I'm safe and I'm fortunate. Thankfully my house is and my family or my house and my family are okay. But the music community has been hit very very hard. Music Cares, which is our philanthropic affiliate, We're getting hundreds of requests a day for help for just basic needs, food, shelter, water, And now we're going to start seeing a second wave of the need, which is instruments. Studios have been burned down, guitars have been ruined. There's so many people in our community that are going to struggle to make a living after this fire.

Yeah, and I wonder, you know how long if there's like a concern. I mean, we talk a lot about Hollywood and the struggles at Hollywood has seen over the last few years, given COVID, given the strike, given the way that movies and TV are now shot all over the world instead of in Hollywood, less and less so in Hollywood. Are you concerned about the music industry moving away from Southern California.

Yeah, and I wonder, you know how long if there's like a concern. I mean, we talk a lot about Hollywood and the struggles at Hollywood has seen over the last few years, given COVID, given the strike, given the way that movies and TV are now shot all over the world instead of in Hollywood, less and less so in Hollywood. Are you concerned about the music industry moving away from Southern California.

I believe there's always going to be a need to be in Southern California, the creativity, the infrastructure, the other things that are here. But of course I'm concerned I'm concerned for our members. We have over twenty five thousand members that are part of the Academy. I want them to be safe, I want them to be healthy. I want them to have an opportunity to make a good living. Many of our members are not the superstars you see on that stage back there. They're the working class people that come to work every day, or play in a restaurant, or play a small tour. So yes, I want to make sure they're able to make a living. So we have a lot of things.

I believe there's always going to be a need to be in Southern California, the creativity, the infrastructure, the other things that are here. But of course I'm concerned I'm concerned for our members. We have over twenty five thousand members that are part of the Academy. I want them to be safe, I want them to be healthy. I want them to have an opportunity to make a good living. Many of our members are not the superstars you see on that stage back there. They're the working class people that come to work every day, or play in a restaurant, or play a small tour. So yes, I want to make sure they're able to make a living. So we have a lot of things.

To work through.

To work through.

But this week, specifically, we're going to be honoring music and we're going to be hopefully doing it in a sensitive, thoughtful way that can also raise money for fire victims.

But this week, specifically, we're going to be honoring music and we're going to be hopefully doing it in a sensitive, thoughtful way that can also raise money for fire victims.

Hey, one of the things I wanted to ask you, or we wanted to ask you, Harvey, is you are the first black CEO of an organization that has been around for many decades and that has sometimes been criticized for a lack of diversity among its voting members. And even so, you know, in terms of when determining awards, maybe concerns about racial bias. The environment that we're in today, you had President Trump last week's sunning actions that aim to block DEI practices across the federal government. Another initiative today in terms of the FAA dealing with diversity, how are you looking at.

Hey, one of the things I wanted to ask you, or we wanted to ask you, Harvey, is you are the first black CEO of an organization that has been around for many decades and that has sometimes been criticized for a lack of diversity among its voting members. And even so, you know, in terms of when determining awards, maybe concerns about racial bias. The environment that we're in today, you had President Trump last week's sunning actions that aim to block DEI practices across the federal government. Another initiative today in terms of the FAA dealing with diversity, how are you looking at.

You're saying that I'm Are you saying I'm a diversity higher No?

You're saying that I'm Are you saying I'm a diversity higher No?

No, no, no, I'm not, I'm not. I'm just you know, I.

No, no, no, I'm not, I'm not. I'm just you know, I.

Know exactly what you're saying, and I have to say, yeah, I have to say that when I came into this role, I had some of the same concerns. There are things about the organization that I felt needed to be changed. Our membership was not diverse, Some of our awards processes were out of date and being affected by systemic history of lack of diversity in certain parts of our community. But we made a lot of changes. Right now we're forty percent people of color. And I think it's really relevant as it relates to music into the academy.

Know exactly what you're saying, and I have to say, yeah, I have to say that when I came into this role, I had some of the same concerns. There are things about the organization that I felt needed to be changed. Our membership was not diverse, Some of our awards processes were out of date and being affected by systemic history of lack of diversity in certain parts of our community. But we made a lot of changes. Right now we're forty percent people of color. And I think it's really relevant as it relates to music into the academy.

It's not performative. The people that are making the music.

It's not performative. The people that are making the music.

And the genres that are popular and the consumption habits are very reflective now by our membership, our voters are now reflecting who's making music, which genres are popular.

And the genres that are popular and the consumption habits are very reflective now by our membership, our voters are now reflecting who's making music, which genres are popular.

And I guess what I wanted to ask you is that to have this come out of the federal government by the leader of the free world, the President of the United States, looking to block the initiatives and government. What happens in your community, do things change or do people continue to focus on.

And I guess what I wanted to ask you is that to have this come out of the federal government by the leader of the free world, the President of the United States, looking to block the initiatives and government. What happens in your community, do things change or do people continue to focus on.

The importance of diversity. Do they continue to stress it?

The importance of diversity. Do they continue to stress it?

I guess going forward, I'm not sure what everyone else is going to do, but we are going to continue to stress it because it's relevant applicable to our industry. Music is very creators, artists, people who make this magic, this music come from different parts of the world, different types of people, different races. So for us it is important and we can't hope to evaluate music, and that's what we're doing is very subjective. We can't evaluate music without having a wide spectrum of opinions and thoughts and beliefs.

I guess going forward, I'm not sure what everyone else is going to do, but we are going to continue to stress it because it's relevant applicable to our industry. Music is very creators, artists, people who make this magic, this music come from different parts of the world, different types of people, different races. So for us it is important and we can't hope to evaluate music, and that's what we're doing is very subjective. We can't evaluate music without having a wide spectrum of opinions and thoughts and beliefs.

So for us, diversity is always going to.

So for us, diversity is always going to.

Be very, very important, totally great. It's what we love about music.

Be very, very important, totally great. It's what we love about music.

Hey, Harvey, just got about thirty forty seconds left here, and what are you looking forward to at the Grammy Sunday?

Hey, Harvey, just got about thirty forty seconds left here, and what are you looking forward to at the Grammy Sunday?

Oh my gosh, there's so many things.

Oh my gosh, there's so many things.

And if you can see right behind me, the stage is absolutely beautiful. We're gonna have incredible people together. We're gonna have a chance for our music community to really come together. It's gonna do good for some financial reasons, but it's also going to do good for the city of La resilient nature of music is going to bring the city back and at least help to bring it back a little bit for three hours at least, and then it's going to be just time for the community to hug and share stories and maybe have some emotional moments together because it has been a trying time for all of us.

And if you can see right behind me, the stage is absolutely beautiful. We're gonna have incredible people together. We're gonna have a chance for our music community to really come together. It's gonna do good for some financial reasons, but it's also going to do good for the city of La resilient nature of music is going to bring the city back and at least help to bring it back a little bit for three hours at least, and then it's going to be just time for the community to hug and share stories and maybe have some emotional moments together because it has been a trying time for all of us.

Yeah, and attribute to Quincy Jones when you think about the music industry as well, somebody so obviously connected with it. We wish you well in all the efforts on Sunday, Harvey Mason, CEO of the Recording Atomy Academy, and be sure to check out the Grammys is Sunday.

Yeah, and attribute to Quincy Jones when you think about the music industry as well, somebody so obviously connected with it. We wish you well in all the efforts on Sunday, Harvey Mason, CEO of the Recording Atomy Academy, and be sure to check out the Grammys is Sunday.

You can catch it on CBS and across a paramount plus. Right I'm streaming. That's going to do it for us. Tim and I have a good and safe evening, everyone,

You can catch it on CBS and across a paramount plus. Right I'm streaming. That's going to do it for us. Tim and I have a good and safe evening, everyone,