Music industry renews calls for ISPs to act on file-sharing

 

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By Barry Collins

Posted on 16 Jan 2009 at 12:55

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) has renewed calls for the music industry to get tough with file sharers, after new research claimed 95% of music downloads are "unauthorised".

The IFPI says the level of piracy is threatening the future of the industry - even though its own figures show that revenue from digital music is increasing.

"There is a momentous debate going on about the environment on which our business, and all the people working in it, depends," claims IFPI chairman and chief executive, John Kennedy.

"Governments are beginning to accept that, in the debate over 'free content' and engaging ISPs in protecting intellectual property rights, doing nothing is not an option if there is to be a future for commercial digital content."

The doomsaying is rather undermined by the IFPI's own figures, which show a sixth consecutive year of growth for online music sales. Digital music grew by an estimated 25% in 2008, achieving sales of $3.7 billion.

Online sales now account for a fifth of all music purchases, up from 15% in 2007.

The IFPI denies it's scaremongering with claims of the music industry collapsing. "The overall market for recorded music fell by 7% in 2008," a spokesman told PC Pro. "The growth in online sales is not compensating for the loss of CD sales."

"Nothing is going to happen overnight, but the whole industry is going to be eroded," he added.