For those of you that share my naivety in government legislation and matters of digital economy you can be forgiven for having little awareness of the newly fronted Digital Economy Bill.

However, since you’re reading this online (and myself writing via the same online medium) maybe there’s an argument that our ignorance is misplaced…

In summary, the government have began motions toward bringing Britain into the digital age, primarily via this Digital Economy Bill which looks to turn Lord Carter’s Digital Britain Report into law; the issue being that current copyright laws are fast becoming obsolete.

You’d also be forgiven for thinking this should all be relatively straight forward, however a triangle of conflicting interests has been created as government, ISPs and online business, and the music industry fight their interests.

Much of the issue revolves around the controversial Clause 17. This part of the bill was meant to ensure it was “future proof” as it would have allowed the then Secretary of State unlimited power in enforcing copyright by introducing laws relating to file-sharing [on the Internet] without the consent of Parliament. But this was something strongly opposed by ISPs and opposition back-benchers as a route toward a totalitarian-style censored internet for the UK.

As a consequence through Liberal Democrat insistence, Clause 17 has been replaced by Amendment 120A – a move celebrated by the music industry. However it is no wonder the industry are celebrating the development, as it transpires the amendment has been copied almost word-for-word from a drafted BPI letter to government (the BPI being lobbyists on behalf of the music industry)! The four largest ISPs have attacked the amendment as creating a worse off arrangement than the original clause, and chiefs of companies such as Google, eBay and Yahoo have all been quick to slam the developments stating freedom of speech is threatened by the allocation of power here. For example, under this new amendment it is possible for websites like YouTube to be blocked to British customers.

There are some ominous possibilities being aired here and worry that personal interests of different sectors battling may afford the wider freedoms of the end user. While we cannot purport to know who is right or wrong, nor what should be done here, we can certainly claim the importance of proceedings with regards to altering current zeitgeist and a future upheaval for at least one side of the debate.

The bill is still in debate and lobbyists from all sectors look to battle this one out to the bitter end as the future of British online commerce looks set to make an evolutionary step forward – or should i say an evolutionary step backwards?

Granted, it isn’t the sexiest piece of news to hit the music tabloids, but industry analyst Ovum have been looking into the potential revenue for ISPs through digital music and found some interesting results.

They suggest that digital music services – i.e. subscription and bundled music services – could earn ISPs like Virgin, Sky, O2, BT etc., over £100m by 2013.

Towards the back-end of the 2000s ISPs were very eager to wash their hands of involvement with digital music, its supply and any constraint of user activity. However this report seems to suggest the potential for a new phase for the internet provider, where being a ‘dumb pipe’ may no longer be quite so advantageous to their continuation.

This news will also strike a chord with industry types who have long been looking for reasons to bring ISPs onboard with the crack down on music piracy over the internet. With finances in excess of £100m at stake this may provide the catalyst that will bring the big guns of internet provisions to start tackling consumer related piracy and the illicit acquisition of music.

So is this good for the industry? Is it a healthy opportunity where more money going in means more money going to the artists (yeah… a little optimistic) or is it just another stall for an industry putting off the inevitable meltdown? How will customers feel with the potential of an additional fee on top of their broadband? What if they add this surcharge as well as the government’s proposed levy for improving broadband throughout the UK?

Obviously, it’s still in the research stages, but it does raise a few questions…

…discuss (20 marks)

Good news techno-geeks… prototypes for a cross platform radio have been developed. The new radio, from Frontier Silicon, will allow listeners to choose stations according to name regardless of the stations being on FM or digital (DAB).

This should be a great addition to the cause for helping the UK prepare for the digital radio change-over.

In other digital news, Sony Music will, on May 1st, become the first UK major to drop physical promos in favour of a digital system. Citing cost alongside the additional media that can be included in a digital pack, it represents further the trend towards digital media packs being a foundational delivery platform and the waning love for the CD amongst many industry folk.

As many of you may already know being avid guardians of “The Pulse”, Little Comets are, rather proudly, the first signing for the amazingtunes label. We have some spectacularly exciting things to come but to kick it off.

To download the excellent Adultery, the first release from our label. The track was recorded at the outstanding Blast! Studio’s in Newcastle in March and we’re all giddy with excitement about it too. We like you so we thought you might like this – listen to Adultery now, before the official download date, on the Little Comets profile page, so have a listen, make some little comments (see what we did there), send the band some pastries if you like. No chocolate though! They’re all rather healthy you see.

So, between now and the 23rd April simply sign-up to amazingtunes for free, head to the Little Comets profile page and, once the day arrives, add the track to your checkout and pop your code in. You’re on your way. Alternatively, if you weren’t lucky enough to get a postcard from the show, you can still buy the track but you’ll have to use some Queen’s poundery. Not a whole pound mind. Enjoy.