In a suprise move that could change the habits of tens of millions the IFPI has spoken of being open to discuss something they had previously ignored.
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/archives/005092.phpNearly three years ago, EFF published a paper advocating voluntary collective licensing for P2P, a system that would get artists paid and allow fans to keep sharing music however they like for a flat fee. It seems the major record labels may finally be coming around to this sensible solution:
"This year, with music sales still sinking like a rock, the record labels are no longer apoplectic about the possibility of such a fee, which could be collected by Internet service providers through their customers' monthly subscription charges.
'It's a model worth looking at,' John Kennedy, head of the International Federation for the Phonographic Industry, said at a press briefing last weekend in Cannes at Midem, the annual global music market. 'If the ISPs want to come to us and look for a blanket license for an amount per month, let's engage in that discussion...'"
I for one am sure many would favour a scheme that allows filesharing legally for a reasonable premium on the normal ISP bill, I believe also that the first Label to walk this path will be suprised at the massive revenue increase they will experience, there are about 100 Million file sharers of one sort or the other and thats a large slice of cake when turned into regular cash.
