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Thread ID: 84700	2007-11-15 06:40:00	Music boss: we were wrong to go to war with consumers	winmacguy (3367)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
611767	2007-11-15 06:40:00	The boss of Warner Music has made a rare public confession that the music industry has to take some of the blame for the rise of p2p file sharing. Speaking at the GSMA Mobile Asia Congress in Macau, Edgar Bronfman told mobile operators that they must not make the same mistake that the music industry made. "We used to fool ourselves,' he said. "We used to think our content was perfect just exactly as it was. We expected our business would remain blissfully unaffected even as the world of interactivity, constant connection and file sharing was exploding. And of course we were wrong. How were we wrong? By standing still or moving at a glacial pace, we inadvertently went to war with consumers by denying them what they wanted and could otherwise find and as a result of course, consumers won." Mobile operators risk the same, he said. Fewer than 10% of mobile owners buy music on their handset, the vast majority of which is ringtones. "The sad truth is that most of what consumers are being offered today on the mobile platform is boring, banal and basic," he said. "People want a more interesting form of mobile music content. They want it to be easy to buy with a single click - yes, a single click, not a dozen. And they want access to it, quickly and easily, wherever they are. 24/7. Any player in the mobile value chain who thinks they can provide less than a great experience for consumers and remain competitive is fooling themselves." Bronfman suggested that mobile companies have much to learn from Apple, despite being critical of and iTunes in the past. "For years now, Warner Music has been offering a choice to consumers at Apple's iTunes store the option to purchase something more than just single tracks, which constitute the mainstay of that store's sales," he explained. "By packaging a full album into a bundle of music with ringtones, videos and other combinations and variation we found products that consumers demonstrably valued and were willing to purchase at premium prices. And guess what? We've sold tons of them. And with Apple's co-operation to make discovering, accessing and purchasing these products even more seamless and intuitive, we'll be offering many, many more of these products going forward." And the iPhone and iPod touch shows that approach can be made to work on mobile platforms, he said, "You need to look no further than Apple's iPhone to see how fast brilliantly written software presented on a beautifully designed device with a spectacular user interface will throw all the accepted notions about pricing, billing platforms and brand loyalty right out the window. And let me remind you, the genesis of the iPhone is the iPod and iTunes - a music device and music service that consumers love." Bronfman appears to be experiencing an epiphany when it comes to digital music. From threatening to withdraw from iTunes and suggesting that to drop DRM would be "without logic or merit", he is now heaping praising on Apple and recently opened a DRM-free section on Warner's own Classics and Jazz music store. www.pcpro.co.uk	winmacguy (3367)
611768	2007-11-16 14:50:00	The boss of Warner Music has made a rare public confession that the music industry has to take some of the blame for the rise of p2p file sharing . Speaking at the GSMA Mobile Asia Congress in Macau, Edgar Bronfman told mobile operators that they must not make the same mistake that the music industry made . "We used to fool ourselves,' he said . "We used to think our content was perfect just exactly as it was . We expected our business would remain blissfully unaffected even as the world of interactivity, constant connection and file sharing was exploding . And of course we were wrong . How were we wrong? By standing still or moving at a glacial pace, we inadvertently went to war with consumers by denying them what they wanted and could otherwise find and as a result of course, consumers won . " Mobile operators risk the same, he said . Fewer than 10% of mobile owners buy music on their handset, the vast majority of which is ringtones . "The sad truth is that most of what consumers are being offered today on the mobile platform is boring, banal and basic," he said . "People want a more interesting form of mobile music content . They want it to be easy to buy with a single click - yes, a single click, not a dozen . And they want access to it, quickly and easily, wherever they are . 24/7 . Any player in the mobile value chain who thinks they can provide less than a great experience for consumers and remain competitive is fooling themselves . " Bronfman suggested that mobile companies have much to learn from Apple, despite being critical of and iTunes in the past . "For years now, Warner Music has been offering a choice to consumers at Apple's iTunes store the option to purchase something more than just single tracks, which constitute the mainstay of that store's sales," he explained . "By packaging a full album into a bundle of music with ringtones, videos and other combinations and variation we found products that consumers demonstrably valued and were willing to purchase at premium prices . And guess what? We've sold tons of them . And with Apple's co-operation to make discovering, accessing and purchasing these products even more seamless and intuitive, we'll be offering many, many more of these products going forward . " And the iPhone and iPod touch shows that approach can be made to work on mobile platforms, he said, "You need to look no further than Apple's iPhone to see how fast brilliantly written software presented on a beautifully designed device with a spectacular user interface will throw all the accepted notions about pricing, billing platforms and brand loyalty right out the window . And let me remind you, the genesis of the iPhone is the iPod and iTunes - a music device and music service that consumers love . " Bronfman appears to be experiencing an epiphany when it comes to digital music . From threatening to withdraw from iTunes and suggesting that to drop DRM would be "without logic or merit", he is now heaping praising on Apple and recently opened a DRM-free section on Warner's own Classics and Jazz music store . . pcpro . co . uk/macuser/news/138990/music-boss-we-were-wrong-to-go-to-war-with-consumers . html#" target="_blank">www . pcpro . co . uk What's sad here is that people like I don't need or even want the iPhone . I prefer my devices to be dedicated to a singular purpose and buy them accordingly . If I want to call someone, I don't need to have to decide if I'd like to take a picture, listen to music, watch a video or talk to another party . As for ring tones . . that's just silly in my eyes and ears . A phone is supposed to sound like a phone and the library of ring tones in the basic phone are enough for me to chose one that is distinct and yet recognizable . No-o . . the iPhone and I will never partner . . . and I doubt seriously if I'd like to have an iPoo either . I have a Sansa c-240 that can do what I want (FM streaming, 3 gig, lots of MP3s and 15 hours battery life) and my Kodak camera takes great pixs . I don't game, torrent or P2P . . so I guess that makes me a dinosaur . . right? I DO however rip each and every CD and DVD I own into my computer as an archive and (actually) that's the only place from which I play that sort of media . . . . keeping the original discs in a safe place in case of a burn-down . It's about time the MPAA/RIAA learned that there's a huge audience that wants to buy from them but refuses to capitulate to draconian rules from old buttheads who can't pour urine outta their boots .	SurferJoe46 (51)
611769	2007-11-17 01:57:00	A phone is supposed to sound like a phone and the library of ring tones in the basic phone are enough for me to chose one that is distinct and yet recognizable . No-o . . the iPhone and I will never partner . . . and I doubt seriously if I'd like to have an iPoo either . I don't game, torrent or P2P . . so I guess that makes me a dinosaur . . right? I agree with you, but has Steve Jobs really got his eye on my bathroom ? or yours ? Regards Diggby	Digby (677)
611770	2007-11-17 02:12:00	I agree with you, but has Steve Jobs really got his eye on my bathroom ? or yours ? Regards Diggby Actually he has had his eye on the living room for a while . It is good to see that some of the music industry guys are finally pulling their heads our of their asses- even though Warner Music is just about down the gurgler right now . As for the iPhone its doing quite well in the sales department .	winmacguy (3367)
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