SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST: FREE MUSIC ON THE NET? dotmusic.com The Internet was the hot topic at last week's South By Southwest music conference in Austin, Texas. One recurring theme centred upon the merits or otherwise of music distributed digitally for free. Executives from Napster, the company whose software allows users to download pirated music for nothing, revealed that they are now attempting to put a figure on digital music. "We have to find a way to monetize it" said Liz Brooks, marketing VP. Despite a heavyweight lawsuit filed against it by the Recording Industry Association of America, Napster is hoping to work with industry organisations such as the BMI and ASCAP to find ways of reimbursing their share of any profits. Anthony Wilson, former Factory Records boss and director of In The City, launched an attack on the Web entrepreneurs currently exerting influence over the record industry, stating that "...the people leading Internet music in America are primarily cheats, thieves and robbers." Wilson asserted that the trend for free songs will encourage the public to consider music as worthless and without value; his own venture, Music33.com, prices every track at 33 pence or 58 US cents. So far, the marriage between the technology world and the record companies has been tempestuous and unpredictable. Internet experts are fond of concepts such as shareware, freeware and open source software; conversely, the recording industry expects to control the production, distribution and pricing of music from beginning to end. Eventually the two sides will have to meet in the middle- and the faster they do so, the more the consumer will benefit. comment on this article e-mail this to a friend start a discussion [about i-drive] writing index dotmusic index Problems? Questions? Suggestions? Contact me: mail@tobyslater.com back to top back to home page

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