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Arts and entertainment

“I suspect there isn't an actor alive who was able to truthfully answer his family's questions after his first day's activity in his future profession.” Simone Signoret

BBC NEWS | ENTERTAINMENT | UK EDITION
Visit BBC News for up-to-the-minute news, breaking news, video, audio and feature stories. BBC News provides trusted World and UK news as well as local and regional perspectives. Also entertainment, business, science, technology and health news.
Stars out for High School Musical
The stars of High School Musical 3: Senior Year arrive for the film's UK premiere in London.

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Philippines angry at Enfield show
The Philippine embassy in London complains over a sketch featuring a Filipina maid in Harry Enfield's BBC show.

Answered Questions

keithwhu asked Paul Williams: "How are music charts compiled these days? If they are solely based on CD sales, how accurate an idea of a bands popularity can they give?"
Paul Williams answers: "The charts are extremely accurate; in fact they are more accurate than they’ve ever been. They’re based on every conceivable music sale that can be recorded. So that includes CD’s, vinyl and downloads...." Show more»" The charts are extremely accurate; in fact they are more accurate than they’ve ever been. They’re based on every conceivable music sale that can be recorded. So that includes CD’s, vinyl and downloads. In terms of what recorded music was sold last week they couldn’t be more accurate. However in terms of what the charts tell us these days; although they tell us about one aspect of popularity, they are no longer the perfect guide to tell you who the most popular acts at this moment are. They will tell you who are the most popular acts in terms of selling music, but there lots of other factors now that determine how popular artists are. For instance, how much they gross from touring, how many hits they have on MySpace, how many times they appear on TV and the radio. There are all sorts of measurements nowadays. It’s only by looking across different factors that you can make any kind of judgement about artist popularity. If you were to look at the music charts over the last twenty years to judge how successful the Rolling Stones have been during that period you would think that they had lost their way and must be struggling now. But if you look at their touring revenue you think wow they’re the biggest band on the planet. "Show less«
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0 comment | Topic: Arts and entertainment | Email to friends | Dec 27 2007 10:50:11 AM
keithwhu asked Conor McNicholas : "If bands are denied income from CD sales (because their music is being downloaded free from the internet) do you have any suggestions for alternative ways for them to earn enough money to continue to..." Show more »"If bands are denied income from CD sales (because their music is being downloaded free from the internet) do you have any suggestions for alternative ways for them to earn enough money to continue to be musicians?" Show less »
Conor McNicholas answers: "We’re about to find out what their options there might be. Could there ever be a band that worked entirely in a live sphere and didn’t release any studio music? Yes, I could easily see that there could..." Show more»" We’re about to find out what their options there might be. Could there ever be a band that worked entirely in a live sphere and didn’t release any studio music? Yes, I could easily see that there could be an artist who would do that. Bear in mind that Led Zeppelin never released singles, and that was considered the big money earner at the time. So some bands could certainly operate entirely in the live sphere. Studio recording, in terms of the album, is definitely breaking down. People are beginning to experiment by sending out one-off tracks, but some bands will always want to do albums. But I think the standard package of single, album and tour is definitely beginning to break down now. I think that the whole point of the new digital world is that it will deliver a number of choices. The most dangerous thing that you can ever do in this new sphere is say that something is impossible, because actually everything is possible. "Show less«
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0 comment | Topic: Arts and entertainment | Email to friends | Dec 27 2007 10:23:40 AM
PikkuMemy asked Matt Phillips : "I am curious to know, how much music revolution in the internet has damaged record companies profits? Could you give any breakdown? "
Matt Phillips answers: "There are a lot of studies that have been done, and they tend to vary, but we are talking very comfortably in the region of hundreds of millions of pounds a year, in terms of lost sales through digital..." Show more»" There are a lot of studies that have been done, and they tend to vary, but we are talking very comfortably in the region of hundreds of millions of pounds a year, in terms of lost sales through digital piracy. We obviously are not presuming that every download is a lost sale, but results still average out to these figures; it’s a worrying trend. "Show less«
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0 comment | Topic: Arts and entertainment | Email to friends | Dec 27 2007 10:29:48 AM
larry1 asked Matt Phillips : "The ability to share albums and songs with friends, make recommendations and debate the worth of a group or artist has long been one of the intrinsic pleasures associated with listening to popular music...." Show more »"The ability to share albums and songs with friends, make recommendations and debate the worth of a group or artist has long been one of the intrinsic pleasures associated with listening to popular music. In the 80s, home taping was predicted to “kill” music, yet the music industry survived (and thrived because of) the humble cassette. Isn’t digital file sharing just the modern day equivalent of this age old practice? " Show less »
Matt Phillips answers: "That was a BPI campaign that was done 25 years ago; the BPI’s copped a lot of flak for it. We tend to look forward rather than backwards, so we don’t tend to talk about that too much. There’s a massive..." Show more»" That was a BPI campaign that was done 25 years ago; the BPI’s copped a lot of flak for it. We tend to look forward rather than backwards, so we don’t tend to talk about that too much. There’s a massive difference between giving a C90 (cassette) to a mate and posting a perfect digital file on the internet for literally millions to take. This does reflect how little people realise what copyright infringement and piracy is all about. People have used the ‘Home Taping’ slogan to undermine very illegitimate arguments as to why file-sharing’s bad for the music industry. "Show less«
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0 comment | Topic: Arts and entertainment | Email to friends | Dec 27 2007 10:34:53 AM
mickthemouse asked Matt Phillips : "For decades record companies dictated the price for music. So why should we consumers feel sorry for record company shareholders who are now losing profits in the download age?"
Matt Phillips answers: "I think you get a lot of file-sharing apologists you make these arguments. You know; record companies made lots of profits in the past so they’ve had it coming to them. Businesses are in business to make..." Show more»" I think you get a lot of file-sharing apologists you make these arguments. You know; record companies made lots of profits in the past so they’ve had it coming to them. Businesses are in business to make profits, that what they do. That’s how the real world works. It’s just not acceptable to steal from people. It’s an alarming trend if people think that because someone is rich that it’s okay to steal from them. "Show less«
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0 comment | Topic: Arts and entertainment | Email to friends | Dec 27 2007 10:36:31 AM