Survey sees hope for music against pirates

The British music industry is about to "turn the corner" after years of fighting a losing battle against online piracy, according to research published today. Record companies should be able to increase revenues from digital sales amid a crackdown on illegal downloads and file-sharing, according to the report by Entertainment Media Research. Its latest Digital Music Survey, now in its fifth year, suggests that the industry should use growing opportunities to make money out of music online to make up for a long-term decline in CD sales. "Despite the ubiquity of free music, there's a real willingness by consumers to pay for music products if the package is right," said Alexander Ross, music partner at the media law firm Wiggin, which co-authored the study. The optimistic verdict contrasts with last year's survey, which warned... [read full story]