Further supplementary memorandum submitted
by Mr Mark Thompson,
Director General, BBC
BEETHOVEN DOWNLOAD TRIAL
Following from the evidence session on the BBC's
Annual Report, I thought I should write to provide further information
about the downloading trial that Radio 3 undertook for Beethoven's
symphonies.
Prior to the trial Roger Wright, Controller
of Radio 3, consulted a number of significant figures within the
music industry, in order to test the water. These included Matthew
Cosgrove (Warner Classics); Bill Holland and Rob Wells (Universal
Classics); John Smith, General Secretary, and Bill Kerr, Orchestral
Organiser, Musicians Union; and Russell Jones, Chief Executive,
Association of British Orchestras, all of whom were supportive
of the proposed trial.
Given our assessment of the likely take-up for
the pilot this level of consultation, of a representative sample
of stakeholders, seemed adequate. However it was not a systematic
formal consultation and you were quite right to say that important
industry bodies were not approached: I thought it important to
clarify my evidence on this point. Had we anticipated that the
take-up from the trial would have been as high as it turned out
to be we would, of course, have undergone a much more formal process.
I should add that subsequently Roger Wright
has held a debrief meeting at which BPI, PPL and ABO were represented
along with representatives from the major recording companies
(EMI, Warner, Universal, Sony/BMG) and a further meeting is planned
in November, which will be hosted by the BPI.
20 October 2005
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