Eric Luciano Nicoli, CBEwas CEO of EMI Group plc between 12 January 2007 and August 2007, having previously been Executive Chairman of the group since July 1999... (wikipedia)
We remain confident that digital music will return the industry to growth in due course.
We're finally seeing a raft of new initiatives from really big players. This stuff is happening all day, every day now.
We live in an age where virtually every sector in every country on the planet is contaminated by piracy and counterfeiting and this is having devastating effects on our businesses, the economy and wider society.
Now that it is clear that, in the current regulatory environment, a merger with another major music company cannot be pursued at acceptable cost and risk, we will proceed as an independent, music-focused group.
BASCAP is about commanding respect for intellectual property in all its forms, regardless of industry or geography,
Piracy remains a real problem for virtually every sector in every country in the world.
Piracy in all its forms has been the major factor in this reversal but not the only factor.
We've moved on from the days when the main impact of digital technology was to harm our industry by facilitating rampant online and physical theft. The day is surely within our sights when digital growth outstrips physical decline and we can all compete for share of a growing pie.
We are seeing progress and we are at least containing piracy.
We're at year zero -- if that -- with mobile.
The pessimists will say that's a problem, but our research suggest that the net effect of unbundling is a positive.
Today's results show that EMI Group had a successful first half, delivering significant growth in both revenues and profits, and that both our recorded music and music publishing divisions made good progress during the period,
The withdrawal of our application allows additional time to reassess regulators' concerns and to pursue solutions simultaneously in Europe and the U.S,
This is not about raising prices. It's about getting the most effective charging structure.
I'm not persuaded by the argument that a single price deters piracy, ... I'm not persuaded of the fact that a lower price deters piracy. What I am persuaded of is that making music more convenient and better value is a deterrent to piracy.
I'm not persuaded by the argument that a single price deters piracy,
In the financial year just ending, we have outperformed the industry on the most important measures, ... In recorded music, we have enjoyed market share gains, with sales for the full year close to last year's level.
In uncertain market conditions, it remains difficult to predict the outcome for the full year. The final results will depend critically on market trends which have shown some deterioration in the past two months.
These pleasing results, achieved in the context of a weak worldwide music market and in spite of the potential distraction of our merger discussions, demonstrate the fundamental strength and quality of EMI's businesses.
The legal landscape has tilted dramatically. We have to work with everyone to discourage this.