Music industry told 'divide and conquer doesn't work'

Record companies score an own goal...

Post a comment
Print

By Heather McLean, 9 October 2001 17:35

NEWS The music industry's attempts to shut down Napster and similar sites are doomed to failure, according to file swapping service Gnutella. The free download movement, pioneered by Napster and Gnutella, is on the verge of collapse following the legal battles instigated by the record companies, and their subsequent attempts to launch Napster-like services. But the proponents of the free download believe their attempts will only succeed if existing sites are wiped out completely, and the record companies co-operate fully on the creation of replacements - something they have so far failed to do. Music publishers and songwriters have today given the nod to a deal with two industry backed comapanies, MusicNet and Pressplay, for the distribution of their tunes. Pressplay is a B2C site formed by Sony, Vivendi Universal and backed by EMI, while MusicNet provides platforms for consumer file swapping, backed by AOL Time Warner, Bertelsmann AG, EMI, RealNetworks and Zomba. But Gnutella belives that the split will result in disaster. A source told silicon.com: "It seems like a waste of effort. If all the backers had got together to make one site it could have been better. "This is not going to be good for the fans in the long run," he added. "They're going to be expensive and people won't use them." But he added: "If the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) succeeds in closing down all music distribution sites, which it looks like it may do, these projects might be a success." The RIAA and other music copyright protection bodies are attempting to create a tougher version of the Digital Millenium Copyrights Act that will make the underground scene unviable. Anne Garret, a spokeswoman for MusicNet, said: "Free services can make downloading a file last forever, files recovered after a search are often not just music and you may get a virus too. With MusicNet, you know you're just getting music."

Post a comment
Print

Post your comment

In order to post a comment you need to be registered and logged in.

Latest Hardware stories

Featured white papers

Vulnerability Management Buyer's Checklist

Qualys

Key Questions to Ask Before You Select a VM Solution Choosing a solution for Vulnerability Management (VM) is a critical step toward protecting your organisation's network and data. Without proven, automated technology for precise detection and remediation, no network can withstand the daily onslaught of new vulnerabilities that threaten security. To help finalise your decision on which solution to buy, Qualys provides this 12-point short list of considerations that will help you determine what will work best for your organisation.

Download now »
Creating a Dynamic Infrastructure through Virtualization

IBM

In almost every case,the transformation to a dynamic infrastructure will involve virtualization.Many IT professionals think of virtualization specifically in terms of servers.IBM,however,has a broader perspective,in which virtualization is seen as a generalapproach to decouple logical resources from physical elements,so that thoseresources can be allocated faster,more cost-effectively and more dynamically,wherever the business requires them in real time to ideally meet changingdemand levels or business requirements.

Download now »
How IP geolocation can improve your website experience and marketing activity

Quova

With geolocation technology, you can know a web user's real world whereabouts. This report examines the benefits from the fictional retailer's point of view. Things-4-You- a thriving online business, which had a poor record in converting online visitors into buying customers. Things-4-You demonstrates the potential of IP geolocation online. retailers.

Download now »