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BBC in trouble over free downloads Sunday, July 10, 2005, 1 comments Mathaba News, Independant Online, Geek News Central and Slashdot are reporting that the free classical music downloads the BBC website posted have angered some British record labels. The music, all nine of Beethoven's symphonies, was performed by the BBC symphony orchestra and posted on the BBC's site for all to download and enjoy for free. However, record companies are arguing that such offerings constitute as unfair governmental competition and is ultimately "devaluing the music," despite being in the public domain:
From Mathaba News, a record label owner states:
"There is the obvious issue that it is devaluing the perceived value of music. You are also leading the public to think that it is fine to download and own these files for nothing."
However, the scheme was a success and the BBC reports that over 1,000,000 downloads were made.
