Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport Minutes of Evidence


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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