Napster CEO demands net license

Napster Chief Executive Hank Barry has called for legislation from the US Congress to allow music to be easily available via the net.

Speaking at a senate hearing, he said: "Licensed music should now be available over the internet as it is over the radio.

"I strongly believe such a change is necessary, an important step for the internet and that it will be good for artists, listeners and businesses.

"The question today is what does it take to make music on the internet a fair and profitable business.

"I believe it will take an act of Congress - a change to the laws to provide a compulsory licence for the transmission of music over the internet.

"The internet needs a simple and comprehensive solution, similar to the one that allowed radio to succeed, not another decade of litigation."

The Eagles drummer Don Henley supported Mr Barry's comments, saying: "The recording industry has fiddled on the sidelines while the digital revolution went on without them."

Hilary Rosen, CEO of the Record Industry Association of America (RIAA), said: "Napster was exciting, but giving away someone else's music without their permission is yesterday's news. Online entertainment isn't coming soon - it's here and it's getting better every day."

Napster creator Shawn Fanning said: "I believe that artists must be compensated for their creativity. And I believe that Napster, as it currently operates, threatens that principle.

Fanning said that were Napster to simply be closed, users would turn to the many unregulated clones that have begun to emerge.

"Such a development would further undermine the position of copyright law online and the position of artists in the new digital world that the internet is developing," he added.