[FYI] Thomas Middelhoff: Music industry 'must learn from Napster success'

["Axel H Horns" <horns@ipjur.com>]

http://news.ft.com/ft/gx.cgi/ftc?pagename=View&c=Article&cid=FT3AGY982
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Music industry 'must learn from Napster success' 

By Bertrand Benoit in Frankfurt 

Published: August 18 2000 19:33GMT | 
Last Updated: August 18 2000 22:40GMT  

Thomas Middelhoff, chief executive of German media group Bertelsmann, 
on Friday called on the music industry to learn from the success of 
Napster, the controversial online music-swapping service embroiled in 
a legal battle with US record labels.  

Speaking at a media trade fair in Cologne, Mr Middelhoff said record 
companies should blame themselves for under-estimating the impact of 
the internet on the $50bn industry, reacting defensively to the 
challenges of music sharing sites and alienating their audience by 
seeking to shut down Napster.  

"One thing we have to realise is that, regardless of whether Napster 
is outlawed or not, the file-sharing idea is here to stay. Now it is 
up to the music industry to turn it into a legal business," said Mr 
Middelhoff.  

[...]

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