Pelo 8º ano o mercado fonográfico japonês continua em declínio

Como temos observado um pouco por todo o mundo, ao declínio das vendas físicas de fonogramas tem-se assistido a um crescimento exponencial das vendas digitais, ainda que os números mostrem que o ritmo de cobertura de uma tecnologia por outra seja muito inferior ao desejado, sendo o desejado a manutenção do status quo das grandes multinacionais... Mas parece-me já um facto consumado que nessa matéria as coisas não voltaram para trás.

O Japão não foge à regra, antes pelo contrário, foi um dos primeiros países a sentir as mudanças, por eles próprio iniciadas já na década de 60 e que no último ano significou um crescimento do digital na ordem dos 156% em relação a 2005 (sendo que a parte das vendas de músicas por telemóvel seja a parte mais significativa), segundo dados da RIAJ

Japan Reports H1 Market Decline

The Japanese music market -- the world's second-biggest -- fared poorly in the first half of 2007, at least in terms of physical product, according to new data released by labels body the Recording Industry Assn. of Japan.

Study: Japanese Digital Music Market to Boom
By IDG
Issue Date: Aug 01 2001

Japan's digital music distribution market is expected to grow from its current 1.2 billion yen to more than 100 billion yen in 2006, according to Jupiter Media Metrix.
Japan's digital music distribution market is expected to grow from its current 1.2 billion yen (US$9.6 million) to more than 100 billion yen in 2006, according to Jupiter Media Metrix Inc.
Users will connect to the Internet through various new technologies to download digital music, but mobile Internet services will be the key to the growth, according to the research firm.
Third-generation (3G) mobile phone services, which should become mainstream by 2003, will promote the growth of the digital music distribution market. Other technologies that will be used are Bluetooth and wireless LAN systems, Jupiter said.
Wireless devices, such as cellular phones and PDAs (personal digital assistants), are well suited for purchasing digital music via the Internet, as consumers regard them as personal devices and illegal copying of files can easily be prevented, according to Jupiter.
DDI Pocket Inc. and NTT DoCoMo Inc., two of Japan's mobile telecommunication carriers, have already started music distribution services that allow users to download and purchase digital music using their PHS (personal handyphone system) handsets via the mobile network.
Downloading a three-minute music track takes about six minutes on a PHS phone, with current technologies offering transfer speeds of 128K bps (bits per second). Connection charges are about 80 to 90 yen per minute. That speed and price don't attract mass consumers, said Takeshi Hosoya, a Jupiter analyst.
Copyright 2001 IDG News Service, International Data Group Inc. All rights reserved.
http://www.thestandard.com/article/0,1902,28417,00.html