Quotes

"As a retailer I feel very strongly about the effect internet piracy is having on music stores and their employees in Canada and indeed around the world. Stealing music on the internet is no different from stealing a pair of shoes, and we have to carry this argument to its logical conclusion. The social contract on which our society is based is rooted in respect for the law."
Natalie Lariviere, President and CEO of Groupe Archambault Inc. (Canadian retailer)

"2003 was the year we proved that consumers would pay for digital music - it is absolutely clear there is a market. This has injected a huge confidence-booster to labels, to investors and everyone who is looking at it as a business to get into."
Ed Averdieck, Sales and Marketing Director, OD2 (European online music distributor)

"Coca-Cola is a trusted brand which understands consumer needs and is able to respond effectively to emerging consumer trends. MyCokeMusic.com was launched in response to one such trend; one which represents a revolution in the way people want to consume music. Our aim is to give British consumers what they want: A fully legal downloadable music site offering the widest possible selection of music tracks."

"The format is certainly working - MyCokeMusic.com has become Europe's biggest legal download site since its launch eight weeks ago and we have just surpassed one million visitors to the site. Downloading is undoubtedly the future for music and with the emergence of legal sites, there is simply no need to file-share music illegally. We need to continue to drive awareness of the availability of legal downloading sites such as MyCokeMusic.com in order make consumers aware of the alternatives. This is why we support IFPI in their efforts to stop illegal downloading."
Rafael McDonnell, Head of Strategic Marketing Alliances, Coca-Cola Great Britain (Online Music Service)

"MSN Music Club is growing in popularity and this is to a large extent due to the increasing number of the very latest A-list releases that are available as digital downloads. This is what large proportions of the online audience want, and it clearly indicates to us that legitimate digital music services will have a mass market."
Geoff Sutton, General Manager, MSN Europe (European portal)

"P2P is an excellent technology, and nothing should make us lose sight of its potential. However, there are illegal uses of this technology that necessitate actions such as those announced today by IFPI and its members. BSA supports IFPI's ability to protect its members' works online.

"Using P2P technology to share unauthorized works, unfortunately, clouds the legal advantages of this technology. BSA and its members continue to believe that piracy on P2P networks is an unacceptable, illegal use of an otherwise impressive technology.

"IFPI's strategy is consistent with the joint principles announced last year by the IT and music industries where we agreed that private and government enforcement actions against infringers is critical to addressing the growth of online piracy. We are hopeful that the attention and discussion resulting from IFPI's actions will highlight the importance of respecting copyrights for creative works online."
Business Software Alliance (BSA) President and CEO Robert Holleyman, www.bsa.org

"In recognition of the material damage caused by piracy to our sector, GERA-Europe is supportive of litigation in the case of large scale uploading (and downloading). Entertainment retailers believe that this type of litigation may help to render the legitimate sale of music online more viable and indeed contribute to the revival of the sale of music through traditional channels. The current move by the recording industry to stamp out what is essentially theft of copyright material is regarded by GERA-Europe as a positive development which, if accompanied by other methods to promote the legitimate sale of music, should bring customers back to our stores."
Lucy C Cronin, Executive Director,
GERA-Europe (Global Entertainment Retailers Association - Europe)

"People forget that the music industry is not just about the stars, it's about the people we represent, the session players and orchestral players. The stars are nowhere without the backing singers and musicians. It is a business which is very fragile. The whole ecology of the music industry depends on our defeating piracy."
John Smith , General Secretary of the British Musicians' Union

"I hate what's happening with illegal downloading. People who love music shouldn't do this. The music industry provides huge choice. By stealing music you deny other people that choice in the future. Some may say it does not affect new and eclectic music. The fact is that it is precisely this kind of music which gets displaced. For small businesses it's particularly tough. Most of us came into this business not to get rich but because we love music. No one who loves music would steal it."
Paul Birch, Managing Director of Revolver Records

"Illegal downloading is sucking revenue out of the record industry and threatening its ability to invest in its future. It is essential that it takes firm action against illegal downloaders."
Helen Snell, UBS analyst monitoring the music industry

"As a new company selling legal downloads to the consumer on behalf of major and independent labels as well as artists and managers, we have had a lot of success with the likes of Coldplay, Ash, Will Young and Zero 7 downloads. But it certainly doesn't make it any easier when people are able to download music illegally for free using Grokster, Kazaa and illegal MP3 websites and newgroups. The difference between us and them is that with us the artists get paid for their work."
Ben Drury, Managing Director of 7 Digital Media

NB University Campus Research: Louise Bond, a third year student at Loughborough University in the UK, has conducted a research project among fellow undergraduates and postgraduates under the supervision of Professor Charles Oppenheim. The research (January 2004) concluded that illegal file-sharing directly depresses purchases of music and that illegal file-sharers will be likely to stop if they feel at risk of prosecution. An executive summary and contact number for Louise Bond are available on request.

For interviews contact IFPI Communications on 020 7878 7900 or email info@ifpi.org