Piracy still prevailing

Despite the dominance of iTunes, the body representing the global recording industry, the IFPI, says 95% of all music downloads are sourced unlawfully. Matt Philips from the BPI, which represents the music industry in the UK, spoke about the challenges they face. He told: “Essentially what the numbers released yesterday show is that, the sales that we are making online through licensed legitimate platforms, are certainly growing impressively – 25% last year – but the fact is we still have a very high rate of unlawful downloading – 95%.

Despite efforts to cull piracy, with warning letters being sent out by Internet Service Providers, he claimed the figures have not changed: “It has been that figure for some time now and of course as the legal market has grown we’ve also found that illegal downloading has increased too.”

The internet, including sites such as Myspace, Last Fm and Youtube, have become a key tool for bands to get their music into the wider. Philips explained that while the digital revolution has had a positive impact, it has been the catalyst for the rise of music piracy. He told: “The internet provides a wonderful opportunity to take your music to a wider audience in the way that you never could through radio or record store”.

On the whole, Philips said it’s not good for the music industry because he reckons the mammoth illegal download market stops the labels from pouring funding into bands.

“Some 200 million pounds a year is invested by the music industry, the recording industry specifically, in new bands,” he said. “Artists still need that financial support, especially so early on in their careers.”

Answer the following questions:

1. What problem does Matt Philips touch upon?

2. Does he offer any solutions of the problem?

3. Do you think that the problem which he states is of current importance in other European countries?

4. What industries are mostly susceptible to illegal downloading in European countries / in Russia / in the USA?

Unit 11. Tycoon avoids prison over shares scam

1. BEFORE LISTENING

1. Practice the pronunciation of the following words taken from the text which you are going to listen to.

Meted, strangely, lenient, tycoon, once, Forbes, falsifying, Tokyo, presiding, judge, proceeded, wholly, incommensurate, gravity, paltry, adage, ostracized, politicians, non-existent, subsequent.

2. Give Russian equivalents to the following English words and word combinations.

Shares scam; to mete out a sentence; strangely lenient; tycoon; to be listed in Forbes magazine; insider trading; to falsify share records; presiding judge; impact on society; to proceed; to hand out a sentence; wholly incommensurate; gravity of the crime; summing up; to fine; paltry; chicken feed; to sentence; to suspend; fall from grace; swift; adage; light court sentencing; to send to prison; to be ostracized; former chairman; core firm; resorts; an industrialist; to have close connections to politicians; to lie about; a stake in the company; to fabricate non-existent shareholders; subsequent sale of shares; shady dealings; to line one’s pockets to the tune of.

2. WHILE LISTENING

3. Listen to the text “Tycoon avoids prison over shares scam”. Make notes about the numbers and dates which you might hear.

4. Agree or disagree to the following statements.

1. A business tycoon paid a gang to help him escape from a prison. (f)

2. The world’s former richest man has been found guilty of fraud. (t)

3. The tycoon received a hefty fine and prison sentence. (f)

4. The tycoon was sentenced to 5 years in prison. (f)

5. The tycoon apologized and says he now wants to feed chickens.(f)

6. The tycoon proves the adage “the bigger they are, the harder they fall”. (f)

7. He avoided prison because he had already been socially ostracized. (t)

8. He avoided prison because he had close connections to many leading politicians. (f)

9. His shady dealings helped him further line his own pockets. (t)

10. The tycoon made his fortune selling hamburgers. (f)

5. Listen to the text again and fill in the gaps using the following words.

Dealings; chairman; share records; meted out; fabricated; sentence; summing up; insider trading; gravity; resorts; prison; ostracized; construction; shareholders; fined.