Who can carry a tune?
Updated: 2015-07-15 15:15
By Chen Nan, Yang Yang(China Daily)
|
|||||||||
Taylor Swift, American pop star. [Photo provided to China Daily] |
Finding balance
When Taylor Swift released her latest album 1989 in October last year, many Chinese fans tried to find it online. One had to be quick, because the links for free download on Xiami.com failed very quickly.
Now one has to pay to listen to her on Music.163.com or Y.qq.com, an online music platform under Tencent. For example, on Music.163.com, 8 yuan ($1.25) can authorize one to listen to all of Swift's songs for one month, 45 yuan for six months and 88 yuan for a whole year.
It is a result of the negotiations between Universal Music China and the major online platforms. Most of the songs online in China are available for free listening, but the new regulation seems to try to balance the scale for music creators and providers.
Janis Chang, chief product officer of Taihe Entertainment Group, has been working in China's music industry for more than 20 years.
"In the past two decades, I've seen too many musicians quit the industry because of piracy or infringement of copyrights in various other forms," she says.
"I am so happy to see the government has attached so much importance to intellectual property rights. It is absolutely good news that will boost the morale," she says. "I know many musicians have been looking forward to the advent of such a day."
Before, the intermediate link on the closed loop of music delivery-creator to distribution channel to consumer-has been unregulated, which has severely affected the healthy development of the music industry, she says.
"We hope all kinds of online music delivery platforms will abide by the regulation," she says.
However, Wang Ju, administrative vice-president and secretary general of China Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association, says that although the new regulation is a good move for the music industry, there is still a long way to go if China wants to boost the industry.
- 22 World Heritage Sites in China along the Silk Road
- A day of masks
- France celebrates Bastille Day
- China's northernmost high-speed railway enters trial operation
- Eight industries the shared economy will transform
- Photographer in search of his 'homeland' in post-Three Gorges landscape
- Japanese war orphans visit graves of adoptive Chinese parents
- Top 10 Chinese provinces with most stock market investors
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
Seventh China-US strategic dialogue |
Premier Li embarks on Latin America visit |
What do we know about AIIB |
Full coverage of Boao Forum for Asia |
Annual legislative and political advisory sessions |
Spring Festival trends reflect a changing China |
Today's Top News
China posts 7% GDP growth rate in Q2
35 million Chinese died during 14-year Japanese invasion
China 'constructive' on Iran nuclear deal: foreign minister
Three-day forum in Zhanjiang to launch 'online Silk Road'
Little Pluto bigger than scientists thought as flyby looms
Pentagon tones down on China threat
Hillary Clinton calls for higher wages for everyday Americans
Stock bargains seen in market by some
US Weekly
Geared to go |
The place to be |