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Last Updated: Feb 18th, 2008 - 14:39:01 |
Use of MP3 files causes deep concern to record industry
The international music industry is deeply concerned about the fast growth of MPEG audio layer 3 (MP3) technology. The major international record companies are worried by the number of websites distributing both unauthorized and authorized MP3 files of sound recordings and by the growing number of portable MP3 playback machines being made available to consumers.
Two particular aspects of MP3 concern the majors. Firstly MP3 is a non-patented, freely available technology. The MP3 digital compression standard is part of the ISO standards for Motion Picture and Audio compression, and has been endorsed by the video and audio hardware manufacturers' industries. MP3, which compresses audio into the smallest possible bandwidth in digital form by removing inaudible information, can achieve a compression ratio of up to 12:1 without perceivable loss in stereo sound quality.
Whereas a three to four minute-long CD audio track requires about 40Mb of disc storage capacity, an MP3 file of the same track would use just 3.75Mb of data. This greatly reduces the time it takes to download sound files.
Secondly, MP3 technology is very flexible. It can be used to compress music from CDs and make that music available on the Internet. An MP3 audio file can be downloaded from the Internet and stored on hard drive or CD-R, assuming a powerful enough computer, or transferred to a chip on one of the new portable MP3 players.
Moreover, using a computer CD-drive, music on a traditional CD can be encoded into MP3 and then transferred to an MP3 player and listened to with virtually no loss in sound quality.
Industry bodies, including the US and Japanese record industry trade associations, the RIAA and RIAJ respectively, have warned a number of websites that they are infringing copyright by storing and offering unauthorized MP3 files for download. RIAA and RIAJ are also examining the legality of portable MP3 playback devices.
However, despite the increase of MP3 anti-piracy activity, which has led to the closure of hundreds of sites offering unauthorized MP3 files over the last 12 months in the US, the number of such sites is still thought to be growing. The RIAA also runs a copyright education campaign aimed at college students, who are seen as primary users of MP3 technology.
Authorized provider and record company MP3. Com claims that major record companies regularly stop their artists from releasing material in MP3. None of the majors has so far released a recording, for sale or promotional purposes, in MP3 format.
Last month, MP3. Com launched a system, Digital Automatic Music (DAM), under which artists can market and sell their music as MP3 files and receive 50% of the proceeds. Signing up for DAM does not involve fees or administration costs and MP3. com will not claim ownership of the recordings.
The company says several dozen bands have signed up so far. MP3. Com is responsible for the marketing and distribution. The website claims that 2m visitors each month access its database of thousands of free downloadable tracks. There are also several non-MP3 music artist sites, from which music can be downloaded using software such as RealAudio or Liquid Audio.
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