(download our overview presented at MIDEM)
During MIDEM 2010, I moderated a panel on the political initiatives to regulate the relationship between the music and the ISPs around the world, which I think proved very interesting thanks to the speakers.
Speakers included Antonio Guisasola, president of labels body Promusicae in Spain, Eddie Schwartz, president of the Songwriters Association of Canada, Geoff Taylor, chief executive of the UK labels body BPI, Ludvig Werner, chairman of the IFPI in Sweden, and Patrick Zelnik, CEO of French record label Naïve and vice-president of European indies body IMPALA.The so-called “three strikes” approach was at the heart of the debate and the results in South Korea and France, where it has been/ will be implemented, are watched closely. But it was also interesting to see that some countries are looking at alternative ways to support digital music online.
In Spain, where the government appears reluctant to target consumers, a draft law is being discussed to avoid filesharing by shutting down / cutting access to illegal websites.
On the other hand, Eddie Schwartz, the lead of the Songwriters Association of Canada, said he was working with some ISPs on a project to monetize filesharing instead of preventing it. The Holy Grail long sought by the industry is possible, Schwartz said, although he proved elusive on which labels were on board.
Like in the US, the UK industry has move away from taking individual filesharers to court. Geoff Taylor explained: “It costs a lot of money and you can’t scale it to millions of people. There needs to be a process of education.” Taylor hopes a law can be passed this year, although he acknowledged time might be lacking because of the UK political agenda.
What’s interesting is that some countries are showing signs of improvement, which in some cases coincided with new copyright laws. Sweden and South Korea have thus seen their music market sales drastically raise. Ludvig Werner, chairman of Sweden's IFPI, thinks it is a combined result of the implementation of the IPRED directive, the winning trial against The Pirate Bay and the launch in Sweden of streaming service Spotify as a legal alternative to filesharing.
At the moment, South Korea is the only country in the world to have adopted a full graduate response measure, in July 2009. IFPI figures show digital sales jumped 53% in the first nine months of 2009. Although the ‘Hadopi’ law voted in September 2009 is not yet fully implemented, the French market has also drastically improved during the second half of 2009.
Are those figures a sign of recovery for those markets? No one can say it now but the coming months should give a first answer.
As a conclusion, I wanted to share with you the overview I presented at MIDEM to introduce the panel. It is a small recap of the laws and private initiatives taken around the world to support the growth of digital music; it also takes a look at the impact copyright laws already had in some countries.
To get the presentation, just leave your email in the form below, you will receive the link to download it for free. I hope you will find it useful!
Press review:
• In MusicWeek.com, Ben Cardew, Jan 26 : read
• In Billboard.biz, Mark Sutherland, Jan 26: read
• In Le Monde blog, Stéphane Davet, Jan 26: read
• In Digital Music Trends, Leonela, Feb 1: read
• In France 2, LN with AFP, Jan 27 : read
• In KhaleejTimes.com, Jan 27: read
• In TheLocal.se, Jan 27:read
• In La Croix, Jan 27:read
• In Le Point, Jan 27:read
• In Le Parisien, Jan 27:read
• In M6 & MSN actualités, Jan 27:read
• In France24.com, Jan 27:read
