Digital music age prompts copyright debate

Technology commentator Bill Thompson on music industry proposals to “tax” net providers who carry music as part of their internet traffic.

Earlier this month the Association of Independent Music had one of those roundtable debates that industry bodies are so fond of.

As well as the independents there were people from the Musician’s Union, the Music Managers Forum and the MCPS-PRS, who license the use of music on behalf of songwriters, composers and music publishers.

All in all they claimed to represent some 85,000 UK music companies and individuals, though obviously they couldn’t all fit in a room at once.