EMI vice-chairman David Munns has responded to a BBC Online debate about the music industry - in which the major labels got quite a bashing from the music fans participating.
On the accusation major labels shun good new music: "Thousands of new albums and singles are released every year in every conceivable genre. We use our best judgements on what we think people will like. Sometimes we're right, sometimes we're wrong, but no one can force anybody to like or dislike something, and that includes us."
On the accusation record labels make excessive profits: "EMI is a business which means that yes, we are trying to make profits, but what business isn't? Our financial statements are all publicly available for anyone who wants to look at them, and no one could say they show excessive profitability. We love music too, but without some profits we won't be able to invest in more music in the future."
On the accusation major labels are messing up their online activities: "When it comes to the internet, EMI has made the vast majority of its music available online, and we're working hard to add more all the time. We also now sell singles online as soon as they appear on the radio."
On the accusation records are too expensive, and that that is driving illegal downloading: "I sometimes wonder if it's because music is intangible that people forget that there are many more costs involved than merely manufacturing a piece of plastic. There's a lot that goes into the retail price - VAT, retailer's cut, distribution costs, advertising and other marketing costs, producers' fees and studio time, not to mention the artists and songwriters who need to be paid. Manufacturing a CD is only one very small part of the total cost yet that is the one that people focus on. And besided, is it okay to shoplift if you disagree with the prices a shop charges? Would you steal a Mercedes and justify it by saying it was because you couldn't afford one?"
Music fans are now responding at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3079908.stm