Disney Learning From Music Industry’s Mistakes

Disney chief Robert Iger used the music industry as a whipping post when describing the reasons behind his company’s decision to give away free downloads of its most popular TV shows. "They completely missed the market opportunity," Iger said during an address at Boston College. "The consumer is now king," said Iger. "Today, consumers have far more control over where, when, and how they consume media."

By focusing on lawsuits and protective legislation rather than the marketplace, "the music industry lost billions during the period of 2002 to 2003."  These initiatives haven’t stopped fans from swapping music because according to Iger there has been "a great authority shift" from rights holders to consumers. New technologies lets consumers easily get the music they want and allows them to listen to it whenever an wherever they want. (Boston Globe/TMCNet)