Fair points from RIANZ

I blogged a few days ago with some approval what Kim Dotcom said would end copyright piracy:

1. Create great stuff 
2. Make it easy to buy 
3. Same day worldwide release 
4. Fair price 
5. Works on any device

I said:

I basically agree with Dotcom on this. It would not end “piracy” entirely, but it would massively decrease it.

Pat Pilcher has published a response from RIANZ:

“The music industry has delivered on all five points suggested by Dotcom”

And they’ve responded to each of Kim DotCom’s 5 points with the following:

1- Create great stuff 
“Great” is obviously subjective but with legal digital services offering tens of millions of music tracks there’s surely something for everyone out there.

2- Make it easy to buy
New Zealanders have access to 20 legal digital music services, not only for buying but for on-demand and curated playback. The world leading brands in each category i-tunes, Spotify and Pandora are open for business in New Zealand.

These are available 24/7 and very easy to use. The website nztop40.co.nzprovides multiple links to the most popular international and local tracks and albums every week.

3- Same day worldwide release
The overwhelming majority of newly released music is available simultaneously worldwide. In fact due to time zone differences New Zealand is often the first country in the world to have access to new superstar releases.

4- Fair price 
Music has never been cheaper to buy or access. Some on-demand services even have a totally free option. Tracks from albums are can be purchased individually, often for under $2. Premium on-demand services are as little as $3 per week.

5- Works on any device 
Tracks and albums purchased from legal digital download services are DRM – free and all are usable across multiple devices using Android and iOS operating systems – i.e. the overwhelming majority of devices in the marketplace. Likewise on-demand services all have apps for multiple platforms and devices.

RIANZ makes the point despite this, music piracy continues unabated, and has grown every year since 2006.

It is disappointing that music piracy is at levels, when it is so easy and relatively inexpensive to buy the music online legally.  I’ve got around 380 songs purchased through itunes, and would never consider torrenting a song I can get on itunes.  People should pay for content, when they can.