Robin Gibb's speech

“I believe that, like creators, broadcasters contribute to a healthy society," he said. "I believe that the same could be said about ISPs. By enabling access to the almost limitless possibilities and information offered on the web, ISPs have rapidly put themselves at the heart of most
modern societies.

"The importance of music as a driver for digital take-up is undisputed," he added, "and it would appear obvious that creators, their publishers and their collecting societies should engage with ISPs as a matter of course.

"However this does not seem to have happened. There is a disconnect between the parties, one that has been widened by the growth of internet piracy of writers music and by the ISPs default public position of hiding behind their mere conduit status and the necessity of net neutrality. This must change. I strongly believe that ISPs can no longer be considered as mere carriers like
they used to be 20 years ago."

“In view of their growing role in the digital distribution of creative content, we – creators, CISAC and authors’ societies – invite ISPs to assume their responsibilities for the content they profited from, for years. Copyright is not a barrier to progress. It is a facilitator of progress, creativity and communication.”

“Authors’ societies, such as IMRO are not for profit organisations created and managed by creators for creators. They are the true friends of creators, striving to give our works maximum exposure and to protect our rights (and remuneration)”, he said.

“I want to state here, in Dublin, that Authors’ societies are not a roadblock on the way to the digital economy or the consumers’ access to culture, wherever, whenever and in whatever format they want. Authors’ societies are business facilitators for broadcasters and digital services, and supporters of cultural development. Without such societies, you would have just bad quality pirated products and mainstream culture, and this is a far greater barrier to progress.”

“Authors’ Societies offer to broadcasters the chance to get blanket licences for all of the music which they use from a “one stop shop”. The relationship that has developed between societies such as IMRO and independent broadcasters, I believe works well for those broadcasters as well as the
writers who create the music to which the public wants to listen, be it on radio or television.”