BPI busy

One eye on TOTP another on file sharing

10 July 06 - 
Busy times this for the British Phonographic Industry. Today it announced it had one eye on illegal file sharers and another on the future of the BBC's flagship music programme - Top Of The Pops. 

A scathing letter has been sent to the BBC's Mark Thompson about the decision to scrap the programme without consulting the industry body first.

Now the BPI has made an offer to take the TOTP brand off the Corporation's hands and develop it itself.

BPI Chairman Peter Jamieson says:

"A strong body of opinion exists within this organisation that there is still potential in the TOTP brand. This is despite the damage done over the past few years - and, in particular, by some of the statements made about the brand over the past month".

The BBC hasn't responded yet. 

Meanwhile The BPI also announced it was going after illegal file-sharers by putting pressure on ISP's to ban accounts that are being used to swap copyrighted songs.

The music industry's association wants Cable & Wireless and Tiscali to suspend 59 accounts that have been uploading 'significant' amounts of copyrighted music.

BPI Spokesman Matt Phillips said:

"For both of them it states quite clearly that they do not condone copyright infringement. So we are presenting them with very compelling, very strong evidence, to suggest that these individuals have been file sharing and we are asking them to terminate the accounts."

"We are presenting them with very compelling, very strong evidence, to suggest that these individuals have been file sharing."
Matt Phillips, BPI.

Tiscali said it was reviewing the addresses that have been submitted to it and will 'respond appropriately' should it see evidence of illegal activity.

The BPI has recently said it will sue AllofMP3.com, but has stated that it will not go after the site's users.


Adrian Larkin