Piracy 'brings £200m to music industry'

[Possy_99]

Illegal file-sharing brings £200m in additional revenue to the music industry every year, according to research by leading think tank Demos.

Business secretary Lord Mandelson confirmed last week that the net services of persistent illegal file-sharers will be blocked from summer 2011. The "three strikes" approach will involve staggered warning letters being issued to offenders followed by the suspension of their connection if they continue to engage in illegal file-sharing.

However, a poll conducted by Ipsos MediaCT for Demos found that use of peer-to-peer file-sharing sites does not necessarily diminish the popularity of legal download services. In the survey of 1,008 online adults aged 16 to 50, 83% of people who admitted to regularly downloading music illegally said that they purchased the same amount or more material from legal sites.

A further 42% of respondents said that they used illegal download sites in a "try before you buy" capacity, which suggests that the popularity of file-sharing could be harnessed to improve legal sales. On average, regular illegal file-sharers spent £77 per month downloading music tracks from legal sites, which is around £30 more than the people who claimed never to use illegal sites.

Demos therefore estimated that illegal downloaders provide the digital music industry with £200m in extra revenue per year. The organisation further found that two thirds of users would stop accessing pirated material if viable and affordable legal alternatives were available to them.

Around half the survey sample called on the government to focus on fostering the growth of legal websites for accessing music. If providers were to reduce the average price of downloading a legal track to 45p, Demos believes that sales would double as a result.

When asked about punishments for illegal file-sharing, 61% of users would stop accessing illicit sites if they were faced with a fine, and 23% would cease the activity following the disapproval of friends and family. Among the people who claimed not to use illegal music download services, only a third backed the government's plan to cut off persistent offenders.

"This research demonstrates that cutting file-sharers off may not be the best solution for the government if they are intent on helping the music industry," said Demos digital rights and consumer trends researcher Peter Bradwell.
"Politicians and music companies need to wake up to the changing nature of music consumption and embrace the demand for new business models that offer lower prices and easier access to music."

source: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/digitalt...-industry.html

[BBK]

23% would cease the activity following the disapproval of friends and family

Wow, my family and friends are usually the ones begging for me to download stuff LOL!

[Goldberg]

I buy what I like and support, the rest... It may get listened to once, there is more chance of me listening to it on the Radio more than I would if I bought it..

[liveseytowers]

On average, regular illegal file-sharers spent £77 per month downloading music tracks from legal sites, which is around £30 more than the people who claimed never to use illegal sites.

Christ on a bike, £77 a month on music is shit loads! Who the hell did the survey because I don't know anyone who spends that kind of cash on music ever!?

Slightly OT but if your PC broke could you download it all again on another PC if you had bought it using iTunes?

[Goldberg]

Feck, I missed the £77 a month!!! That's nearly 10 Albums!

1 a weeks at the VERY most I would say, but then again can anyone name 52 Albums that are 'Must Haves'........

[vladivar]

Not many albums I can listen to right thru, except most Pink Floyd and the 1st 2 Oasis albums.

[GTI]

In the survey of 1,008 online adults aged 16 to 50, 83% of people who admitted to regularly downloading music illegally said that they purchased the same amount or more material from legal sites

Sounds like a bullshit, made-up survey. I cannot believe that 83% of music pirates would spend the same or more on legal downloads. Personally I've never paid a penny in online downloads, if I want to show my support for an artist I will buy their CD from a bricks n mortar shop.

[BBK]

Sounds like a bullshit, made-up survey. I cannot believe that 83% of music pirates would spend the same or more on legal downloads. Personally I've never paid a penny in online downloads, if I want to show my support for an artist I will buy their CD from a bricks n mortar shop.

Grandad

I have a few - VERY few - artists who I will just buy thier CD regardless, and there have been a few that I've downloaded and bought. Most get downloaded illegally, listened to once, realise it has no substance whatsoever, and filed.