The British Broadcasting Corporation (or the BBC, to their friends) has been dissed for not properly consulting the classical record labels before launching that high profile Beethoven download earlier this year.
As previously reported, some 1.4 million people downloaded the free Beethoven music that was offered via the BBC's website as part of a season of programmes dedicated to the composer. The BBC could run the promotion because Beethoven's music, of course, has no composer royalty, and the recording was made by the Beeb's own orchestra so they own the copyright. But while the promotion provided a PR boost for the classical sector, those labels who sell classical music argued that by giving away recordings of complete symphonies the BBC was damaging their record sales.
Now the chairman of the government's Culture And Media Select Committee, John Whittingdale, has given his support to the labels. Referring to comments made at the Edinburgh TV Festival by Beeb boss Mark Thompson that the BBC would "work with, rather than against, the market" when it comes to new media ventures, Whittingdale said this week: "In terms of market assessment it's right that you say you should tread carefully when it comes to new media. But in Beethoven week there were 1.4m free downloads at a time when record companies are saying that people should pay for music. The inference is that you are not treading carefully but having a dramatic impact on a number of small and fledgling concerns."
Responding, Thompson argued that BBC Radio 3 controller Roger Wright had, in fact, spoken to the main classical labels prior to the Beethoven promotion, adding that he had found no objection among senior players in the classical sector. But Whittingdale said the record companies he had spoken to, including EMI's classical division, had been "unable to trace anyone" who had been contacted by the BBC prior to the launch of the Beethoven symphonies.
Backing those allegations, both the BPI and SonyBMG say they only began negotiations with the BBC over this kind of download promotion after the Beethoven project.