Another initiative to promote legitimate online music services an...
Another initiative to promote legitimate online music services and confront online music piracy was announced in London Wed. by international alliance of performers, record companies and retailers. New Web site, www.pro-music.org, comes as several new paid-for online music services…
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are emerging in Europe. Site, backed by International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) and other trade groups, includes what supporters called “biggest international repository of information on the growing number of legitimate online music sites now offering more than 200,000 songs to consumers.” Site also features step-by-step guide to processes, viewpoints on piracy debate from artists, media and public, and answers to questions about copyright laws for online music. IFPI Chmn. Jay Berman said: “The success in the U.S. of Apple’s iTunes, which saw sales of over 1 million songs in less than a week, is proof that if it’s done right, music lovers want to get music in a way that rewards the artists and creators -- that is, by paying for it.” Pro-music.org public awareness campaign on illegal copying and distribution of music joins efforts elsewhere, such as “musicunited.org” in U.S., “Save Music” in Japan, “Keepmusiccoming.com” in Canada and “BRN>BRNT” in New Zealand. But Pro-music.org founders called it first international venture, with plans to roll out on national level in several European countries in coming year. Key feature is “Music Online” section with international listing of online digital music services and retailers, including links to music download sites and other sources of information about online music. Section titled “On Copyright” explains why copyright is needed, lists applicable laws and provides technical explanation on how to reset or uninstall file-sharing software. IFPI said world music sales totaled $32 billion in 2002, down 7% from 2001. Commercially pirated music totaled 1.9 billion units worldwide in 2001 -- worth $4.3 billion at pirate prices and accounting for 40% of all recordings sold, group said. Online music file sharing is other thorn in industry side, IFPI saying there were more than 5 million users with access to more than 1 billion files at any one time on peer-to-peer networks worldwide. Number of music CD-Rs burned now is on par with number of albums sold worldwide, group said. Meanwhile, Europe now has at least 10 Internet sites where consumers can buy music downloads or subscriptions to music online services, with access to more than 200,000 music tracks. IFPI said latest Jupiter Survey in Europe found that 37% of people who had downloaded or traded files on Internet said they were willing to pay for music online from legitimate sources.