Has Big Music seen the light?
p2pnet news view Advertising | Music:- “Cannes, Wednesday 21 January 2009 – 8,000 participants, spanning all sectors of the global music business, from over 80 countries will leave Cannes today saying that MIDEM 2009 had served as a launching pad for them to examine new business models that embrace digital and that they are facing the future with confidence.”
So says the official ‘We’re outta here’ press release, going on to quote TAG Strategic’s managing partner Ted Cohen as stating:
“We are no longer railing against technological advancements.”
That’s because, “Executives agreed that while in previous years the music industry had swung between nervousness to outright hostility towards the Internet and mobile telephone makers particularly on the issue of piracy, the mood had changed at MIDEM 2009.”
The industry is, “now thinking simply about achieving something that works, being practical and looking at models that can monetise music and create wonderful experiences for music fans,” Cohen said.
That’ll be a nice change. Because so far, the “wonderful experiences” largely mean fans are constantly harassed with subpoenas and accused of being thieves and criminals by Vivendi Universal, EMI, Warner Music and Sony BMG.
Rather than, “achieving something that works,” they’ve done the exact opposite, alienating hundreds and thousands of customers.
With that in mind, “France’s music industry, which has seen physical music sales drop by 60% over the last six years, welcomed French Minister of Culture and Communications Christine Albanel’s statement of commitment to push through new online anti-piracy legislation,” says Midem statement.
“Christine Albanel, who officially opened MIDEM on January 18, said in Cannes that she is doing ‘everything possible’ to bring the proposed legislation before France’s National Assembly (parliament) by March. The law, which has already been accepted by the French Senate, contains a series of anti-piracy measures including suspension of internet access for persistent offenders. ”
New Zealand has the proud distinction of being the first to officially adopt the ‘three strikes and you’ re out approach,’ with the UK looking to do the same and the Big 4 pressuring ISPs around the world to become corporate copyright cops.
But MIDEM director Dominique Leguern nonetheless appears to believe the Big 4 have finally seen the light.
“I think the debate over the merits of music on the Internet or on mobile has shifted dramatically and this shift was evident during MIDEM,” she says. “The industry is no longer wondering whether to work with new distribution outlets, but how to work to the benefit of everyone.”
For “everyone” read Vivendi Universal, EMI, Warner Music and Sony BMG, of course. But no matter, just as long as they start treating the music lovers who keep them in business as honest and reasonable people who are only looking for a fair deal.
And of course, not only maintaining, but increasing, the flow of advertising cash is vitally important and Bacardi, “announced that its nine-month old deal with UK dance group Groove Armada will now include new online elements to launch the band’s new EP via online sharing service www.bliveshare.com,” says the press release.
“International brands which chose to use MIDEM to develop their relations with the music industry and explain their music strategies included Coca Cola, A|X Armani Exchange and Guitar Hero video game publisher Activision Blizzard.”
Jon Newton – p2pnet
(Thanks, Jack)
January , 2009
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January 22nd, 2009 at 11:53 am
First part of this looks like a joke…lol
January 22nd, 2009 at 12:28 pm
more propoganda, er press release fodder.
January 22nd, 2009 at 3:27 pm
i just don’t understand why they can’t make mp3’s at 192 or even 256 k encoding free, you want hi-quality, you pay for it and get flac, you want to pay a bit more, you get schwag, look at the radiohead and NIN models, they seemed to work rather well
January 23rd, 2009 at 10:27 am
They can’t do that devious_204 because that wouldn’t make them as much money, and they only thing these people really understand is not art, is not music, is not beauty, but money.
The bloated and useless middlemen will have to adapt properly or die out. Their evolutionary niche grows smaller daily, and they continue to blunder on.
Their death throes are pitiful and terribly funny. Except for those caught up in them with them due to greed and stupidity.