e.Digital Corporation (fka EDIG)

[cksla]

Free Music Outpacing Subscription Services in Western Europe

London -- Interest in free music file-sharing services is increasing in
Western Europe at the same time that traffic to legitimate subscription
services offered there is waning, according to a recently published report
from Jupiter MMXI -- the European arm of research firm Jupiter Media
Metrix. Visitors to sites hosting free file-sharing software including
Kazaa, MusicCity's Morpheus and Audiogalaxy increased from 10.7 million to
11.3 million between January and March 2002, while traffic to MP3.com,
Peoplesound.com, Vitaminic and other legitimate music sites dwindled from
2.5 million to 2 million during the same period. The major record labels
have yet to launch overseas versions of their MusicNet and Pressplay
subscription services. "The record industry needs to crack down hard and
fast on the software companies behind file sharing networks and at the
same time get serious about licensing content so that legitimate services
can offer compelling alternatives." said Jupiter MMXI analyst Mark
Mulligan. "If they fail to do this, the free music mindset will become
permanently embedded in the new generation of music listeners and paid-for
music services in Europe will never get off the ground."
http://uk.jupitermmxi.com/xp/uk/press/releases/pr_041802.xml