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Countdown on for digital music chart
By Louisa Hearn
February 15, 2006 -
http://www.smh.com.au/news/breaking/countdown-on-for-digital-music-chart/2006/02/15/1139890795257.html
Fans of Australian online music download sites such as iTunes, Destra and
BigPond will soon a have a singles chart all of their very own.
After more than a year in the works, the Australian Recording Industry
Association this week said it hoped to unveil a digital download chart by
the end of next month.
The online music industry only accounts for a small percentage of music
sales, but researcher IDC said rapid growth was forecast with the sector
expected to reap annual revenues of $53m by 2009.
ARIA has been working for more than a year to develop a listing of the most
popular downloads in conjunction with music sites and will initially launch
a singles chart only.
An album chart will come later and ARIA eventually hopes to incorporate
online sales figures into the existing music charts to reflect combined
sales across all platforms.
Chief executive Stephen Peach said the scheme had taken a long time to get
off the ground because of the technical complexities associated with
uploading timely data from online music sites."We have been running internet
trials to make sure data is all coming through correctly and we are now on
track for launch by the end of March," he said.
Digital media company Destra is one of the online music companies supplying
sales data to ARIA and ut said it had been working closely with the industry
body to help compile the chart.
Domenic Carosa, chief executive, described the new chart as a very positive
development. "It legitimises the whole notion of digital downloading and is
important for growth of the industry," he said.
ARIA already publishes weekly industry music and DVD charts based on shop
retail sales and it recently appointed Motorola its official charts sponsor.
This will see the re-introduction of printed charts into retail shops around
Australia, the launch of a national live radio chart countdown on the NOVA
radio network and a new charts website.
ARIA also vowed this week to remain committed to anti-piracy initiatives,
which includes initiatives to stamp out the practise of illegally
downloading music.
One of the companies that has been targeted in Australia is Sharman
Networks, owner of the Kazaa file sharing network which was found guilty in
September of encouraging users to infringe copyright. Next week the company
will launch an appeal against the ruling.
More than 30 music labels in Australia have been involved in the action
against Kazaa which was ordered by the court to change its search technology
in Australia to prevent the sharing of pirated music. This resulted in the
company blocking all access to its file-sharing network to internet users in
Australia.
Its appeal is scheduled to begin on February 20.
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