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Thomas Middelhoff: Music industry 'must learn from Napster success'

http://news.ft.com/ft/gx.cgi/ftc?pagename=View&c=Article&cid=FT3AGY982CC

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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