Music industry calls for help from ISP’s to fight piracy

The music industry has requested, or should that be begged, for help from Internet service providers, known as ISP’s, and worldwide governments, to assist the ailing industry in its fight with pirate music suppliers

Speaking on the behalf of the big music companies. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, or IFPI, has published proposals that Internet service providers should be required to discontinue service from users, who are providing music downloads in violation of copyright.

A report by the IFPI’s regarding digital music downloads, claims that the number of illegal downloads compared to legal downloads is at a ratio of twenty to one, with illegal downloads not known, but believed to be in the tens of billions, range.

Legal digital music downloading now accounts for around 15% of total music revenue worldwide, and has in fact risen by approximately 40% during the last fiscal year, reaching 1.5 billion pounds. This increase has not offset losses caused by huge decreases in sales of CD’s, causing an overall downturn in profits for 2007.

The IFPI states that these decreasing revenues are hurting investment by the music industry, which ultimately means less cash to invest in young, and upcoming, talent.

The IFPI furthermore, claims that governments are starting to realise the consequences of illegal music downloads, they also need to introduce powers, to make ISPs more active in the protection of copyrighted material.

Last year, the French government introduce legislation to make ISPs be more co-operative in the antipiracy fight.

The chairman of The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, Mr John Kennedy, stated: “ISPs must take responsibility now and the French approach shows urgency, badly needed in every market where music is today being massively devalued by piracy”.