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Changing Mp3 Download Laws In The Global Market
One of the nicest things about online music downloads is that people now have freedom when it comes to which MP3 player they want to use and which MP3 music download site they want to use. The technology is very new, though, and the industry has had some shaky times. One case is last year?s decision in France to make online music downloads compatible with multiple music players.
During the March of 2006, the national assembly in France voted by a landslide to give residents more freedom when it comes to MP3 music downloads. They said consumers should have the right to download music to MP3 players of their choice, not the player that the site wants them to use.
For the first time, consumers could download music to an iPod from stores other than iTunes, or to download music from iTunes France to other types of MP3 players. ?It's good for the market,? said Alexander Ross of media law firm Wiggin. ?It enables all digital music retailers to compete on a level playing field.?
This is one example of how the MP3 music download technology is changing with the times and suiting consumers? needs. There?s no reason that one MP3 download company should dominate a whole market, according to many economists in France and around the world. The iPod is definitely the most popular MP3 music player, but consumers want the freedom to get MP3 music downloads from a variety of sources that will still be compatible with the iPod.
?Someone who buys a song has to be able to listen to it, no matter which device or the software of choice,? said Martin Rogard, adviser to the French culture minister. He added that the previous system for online music downloads in France was ?not in the interest of the consumer, nor the interest of the creator. It only benefits the company and we're there to defend the consumer, our citizens.?
The decision in France may have had some effects on the music recording industry in general when it comes to online music downloads. There are now many more MP3 music download sites than ever before, and they can offer MP3 music downloads that will play on an iPod or any other portable player. It is a good thing for consumers, and it may also be a good thing for the music recording industry.
If consumers have more methods of downloading music available to them, music industry executives and artists will have more chances to profit from the copyright fees. With more compatibility, more MP3 music download sites will open up. And if they want to be legit, they have to pay the copyright fees. Giving freedom of choice to consumers simply makes for a more fair market.