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Manufacturers angry over proposed surcharges on MP3 players

22 April 2005 18:27 by James "Dela" Delahunty | 4 comments

Some of the world's biggest manufacturers of MP3 players including Apple, Sony and Phillips are very angry over a proposed surcharge on mp3 players sold in the Netherlands which would compensate copyright holders for lost revenue due to copying for personal consumption. This is similar the charge on CD and DVD media in some countries. The Stichting Thuiskopie foundation collects surcharges on CDs and DVDs which it then distributes to copyright holders.

The foundation is now looking for a similar charge to cover m3 players also. However, the main difference is that some MP3 players store the mp3's on a hard disk drive and can hold big amounts of data. The proposed surcharge will be based on the amount of storage at �3.28 per gigabyte that a player offers. According to ICT Office, a Dutch trade association, this surcharge, expected to be introduced within two months, could increase the price in the Netherlands of an Apple iPod with 40 gigabytes of storage, for example, by more than �130.

Similar demands are being made in other countries also. There is also some opposition to fair use, with some proposals for new copyright laws that would make it illegal to rip a CDs audio to MP3, but it would remain legal to copy the CD itself for personal use. While consumers might see these charges as a nuisance, one French man benefited from a charge on blank DVD media. See that story here.

Source:
DMeurope.com

Permalink to this article

Nokia releases N91 music phone (28 April 2005)

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Discuss this article!
WarForOil (Junior Member) 26 April 2005 10:41
MMMMMMMMMMM Sounds a bit much cant remember any tax on any vcr machines just because you could tape a movie from the t.v.If you ask me this sort of hounding for cash is way over the top.What next a tax when you buy a ford because you didnt buy from general motors.C.mon get real i have had it with the multi nationals dictating what taxes we should pay, we pay way over the top for most things this money cant be funding other multies because we dont buy there particular product....Sell us something at a reasonable cost or sink simple as that. [ + quote]
Zippy84 (Junior Member) 26 April 2005 19:19
im at a loss for words here.....some of the crap that people come up with can't be described in words.....DAMNIT!!! im seriously blown away by this....im laughing but at the same time im like WTF??? i hope they FIGHT THE MAN!!! [ + quote]
SiD_UK (Newbie) 27 April 2005 1:00
Do they put a charge on VHS recorders and TIVO players as well? If not then they don't have a damn right to do anything like this. Seriously, that really is ... well ... stealing. [ + quote]
sueboo (Newbie) 27 April 2005 12:45
This is surely a proposal to benefit certain powerful companies. How does the small songwriter and/or producer and/or performer access their part of the megabucks? [ + quote]