GRid is a new initiative from the music industry that should be able to track internet music sales and this way compensate the musicians and songwriters of whom music is downloaded. The Global Release Indentifier, or GRid, is a code that is similair to the Universal Product Code (UPC) bar code found on a CD or cassette tape in stores.
The goal is to track each time a record label, online retailer or distributor such as Pressplay or your local internet service provider sells a song in the form of a Web stream or download.
With the GRid initiative, resellers would be charged an annual fee of 150 pounds ($245.10), for which they can issue an identity tag to millions of songs sold online. Each track will be distributed with an individual GRid serial number. Like a bar code, it will be reported back to rights societies and collection agencies so that artists can be compensated for sales. |
International Federation of Phonographic Industry (IFPI) and Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) have been developing the standard for the past two years.
"If this is done properly, the artists and authors of music will be paid adequately for the sale of their works online," said Paul Jessop, chief technology officer of the IFPI.
He added the GRid initiative is a voluntary system, and that the fee would, initially at least, be covered by the resellers.
The article also adds that the code will not be used to track buying habits or track the downloads of pirated music. Read all the details here.
Source: Reuters.com
