Europe is really setting the stage for how the U.S. will approach digital music in the next couple of years, so Sound Opinons hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot take a look at news coming out of that region.
In France, the government plans to subsidize legal music downloading to encourage young consumers not to illegally get songs. This is going to cost the French government some $35 million. But, this might sound like a better option than the “three strikes” law to one French ISP. Free has declined to send out warning letters to its users.
Over in Ireland the three strikes approach got struck down entirely. The big four labels were unable to convince an Irish court that laws to identify and cut off internet users should be enforceable in that country like others in the EU. And finally, one UK music executive offers another solution entirely: £1 records for all!