[A2k] @MIDEM: French Minister Confirms Collective Licensing Plan

[Manon Ress]

http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3i21640ce071c3e4ce=
3a87825ea1e06adc


@MIDEM: French Minister Confirms Collective Licensing Plan
January 24, 2010 - Global

By Aymeric Pichevin, Cannes

French minister of culture Fr=E9d=E9ric Mitterrand unveiled a set of
measures aimed at helping the music industry, during a press
conference at the MIDEM trade fair and conference in Cannes.

These measures are based on a controversial report submitted two weeks
ago resulting from a mission led by Patrick Zelnik, CEO of French
independent label Na=EFve.

While he praised improving results for the French music market - with
a softening decline in sales to be detailed in trade body Snep's press
conference tomorrow - Mitterrand emphasized the need to act fast, as
the French "cultural exception" (the concept that French culture
should be protected) has already been damaged.

Although the proposal is fiercely denounced by most of the recording
industry, Mitterrand confirmed the music sector had a year to agree on
a "possible" collective licensing scheme for online music, as
previously announced by President Sarkozy.

When asked by Billboard.biz about the meaning of the word "possible,"
he then stated his determination to end up with a collective licensing
scheme, otherwise, he added, the "possibility" will turn out to be an
"obligation".

"I know this [measure] arouses opposition," he said, "but it is
necessary to work altogether as fast as we can to permit a richer
online offer."

When the French government set out to help the industry by tackling
piracy, it also made clear it wanted the biz to embrace measures to
make digital licensing simpler, in order to boost the market.

Mitterrand announced that Emmanuel Hoog, a former president of
national audiovisual institute INA, had been appointed as a mediator
on this issue. He said he would do his best for other European
countries to follow on this and said the topic would be discussed in a
March meeting.

Regarding the "youth card" recommended by the Zelnik mission, he said
it should be available by this summer. This card is designed to help
young consumers access legal music online by subsidizing a-la-carte
download and subscription services; he envisaged that the card should
be sold for =8025 ($35) and worth =8050 ($71) in retail spend, although he
said the financial compensation mechanism remained to be defined.

Mitterrand also announced he would look at ways to improve the music
exposure on TV and radio, and that he would strongly advocate a
lowered VAT rate (sales tax) on cultural goods to the European
Commission.

Asked about the "Google tax" suggested by Zelnik, which would target
advertising revenues from online giants such as Google to support the
creative industries hit by the digital revolution, Mitterrand said
nothing was decided at this point.
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***************************************************************************
Manon Ress
manon.ress@keionline.org
Knowledge Ecology International
1621 Connecticut Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20009 USA
Tel.:  +1.202.332.2670, Fax: +1.202.332.2673

Il vaut mieux remuer une question, sans la d=E9cider, que la d=E9cider,
sans la remuer. (Pens=E9es, essais, maximes et correspondance de J.
Joubert  p.249)
Translation: It is better to debate a question without settling it
than to settle a question without debating it