Illegal downloading

Emotions ran high at an explosive debate at The Music Show on Saturday 2nd October, in which the Irish Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan TD took part alongside SEG’s Marc Marot, Victor Finn (Chief Executive, IMRO), Paul Brady, Louis Walsh, & The Corr’s member, Sharon Corr.

In a lively question and answer session, Sharon Corr spoke from the floor and was highly critical of what she called the Government’s “laissez faire” record on artists’ rights in relation to the illegal downloading of music.

“Powerful management group SEG’s” Marc Marot also gave a damning example of the impact of illegal downloading. He explained that SEG have a successful trance act on his books with a fanbase of 14,000. The band recently shifted 4,000 copies, or £15,000 worth of its LP on the day it went on sale. On the same day, Marot and the band monitored 17,000 bit torrents going out illegally, equal to £150,000 worth of turnover.