Minister kicks off music industry seminar

Arts Minister John O'Donoghue today asked whether the European music industry needs more of a support structure if it is to seek out the best talent and push it towards commercial success.

Speaking at the Dublin opening of a 'Creative Financing and Music Seminar', Minister O'Donoghue pointed out that the European film and television sectors enjoy an "array of support mechanisms".

Minister O'Donoghue said the rise of download technologies and subsequent copyright infringements have rocked the major label-dominated music industry sector in recent years.

Addressing the seminar - whose keynote speaker is Napster Chairman Chris Gorog - the minister said that the main thrust now is "in the harnessing of new technology for production, delivery and distribution".