MESSAGE
| DATE | 2004-06-09 |
| FROM | Billy
|
| SUBJECT | Re: [hangout] P2P loses in Europe
|
Please don't blockquote articles without attribution or URL.
It's a form of copyright infringement, and it's annoying.
I know FULL well that Ruben didn't write this piece... :)
On Wed, Jun 09, 2004 at 12:08:49AM -0500, Ruben I Safir - Secretary NYLXS wrote:
>
> Music labels clamping down on music pirates scored their first victory in
> Germany on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the competition in the legal online music trade
> is heating up with the launch of Apple iTunes in Europe next week.
>
>
>
> For one music enthusiast in the Eastern German city of Cottbus, the good times
> of downloading music for free via peer-to-peer file-sharing programs like
> Kazaa came to an abrupt end on Tuesday. He was convicted in a German court of
> copyright infringement, according to a statement released by the German
> Federal Association of the Phonographic Industry in Berlin.
>
>
>
> The 23-year-old will have to fork over a hefty ?8,000 ($9,855) in fines in
> addition to covering the legal costs of the case. The case is expected to set
> a precedent for future cases, said Gerd Gebhard, the Chairman of the
> association, and will also serve as a cautionary tale to those considering
> illegal music file-sharing.
>
>
>
> Clamping down on illegal downloaders
>
>
>
> The case, one of 68 brought against people who download music illegally in
> Germany, represents a significant victory for a music industry desperate to
> stem the tide of lost profits since music file-sharing and downloading
> software like Kazaa and Napster became hugely popular.
>
>
>
> In Germany alone, Internet piracy contributed to a 20 percent drop in profits,
> which has resulted in the loss of thousands of jobs, according to industry
> officials. Globally, losses are estimated at $2.4 billion (?1.96) a year.
>
>
>
> The strategy of pursuing illegal music pirates in the courts is part of a
> two-pronged approach. In addition, music industry executives are hoping to
> bring illegal file-swappers back into the market by offering them the chance
> to download music legally -- for a fee -- via a host of new legal and
> industry-sponsored online platforms.
>
>
>
> iTunes Europe in June?
>
>
>
> With a major announcement about the introduction of Apple's iTunes music shop
> service in Europe next week in London, the competition in the legal online
> music branch is about to heat up, and a price war between new entrants into
> the market could benefit consumers. But perils exist for all market entrants:
> The already troubled German online platform, Phonoline, will struggle to
> survive the intense competition, while Apple may find marketing online tunes
> in Europe more challenging than in the United States.
>
>
>
> Shrouded in secrecy, Apple CEO Steve Jobs has called a press conference for
> June 15 saying only that, "the biggest story in music is about to get even
> bigger". It is expected that Apple will announce the long-anticipated launch
> of the European version of their online music store, which is already hugely
> popular in the United States. A launch is expectedly imminently in Britain,
> where Anglo-Saxon copyright rules make it easier to negotiate with
> rights-holders and record companies, but launches in France and Germany could
> also come at the same time.
>
>
>
> In the first year, stateside music fans flocked to the site to download -- and
> pay for -- more than 70 million songs. No doubt Apple executives hope to
> repeat their success in Europe. However, they will find increased competition
> in the European market from a host of recently launched clones.
>
>
>
> On May 20, Napster launched in Britain, joining industry leader OD2. Sony is
> expected to enter into the European market at the end of June. In Germany,
> music labels launched their own online music store, Phoneline, in March,
> though the effort has been plagued by criticisms that the library is too
> limited and prices too high.
>
>
>
> Individual members of the music industry throughout Europe are engaged in a
> bitter struggle to attract customers amidst fierce competition.
____________________________
NYLXS: New Yorker Free Software Users Scene
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