French Government May Subsidize Music Downloads

angry tapir writes "The European Commission has approved a French program to subsidize legal music downloads for young people. The Carte Musique scheme gives €25 (US$35) to French residents aged 12 to 25 to spend on music downloads or subscription services. Young people can purchase a €50 card for just €25, with the balance paid by the state."

Re:I guess that means

[Anonymous Coward]

Coming up next, the story of the $400 "If I had a Hammer".

Re:I guess the French outdid themselves again.

[blackraven14250]

It's a vast improvement over musical chairs.

Re:Glad this is France

[Anonymous Coward]

Hey, everyone has a right to own a successful music publishing company! It's just one of those basic human rights, along with food and water. If we can't get one ourselves thanks to the evil of CAPITALISM, then the government should just raise taxes, subsidise this and that, and damn well buy us one. And anyone who disagrees with me is a libertarian nazi Randroid.

Re:Fraud

[Joce640k]

I think the French government hasn't done the math.

Choice A: Spend €25, get €50 of music legally, download the other €999,950* of music from the Internet.

Choice B: Spend €0, download €1000000 of music from the Internet.

Which do you choose?

Of course option B is just more proof that people will still download even when prices are 'dropped'(**).

[*] Numbers provided by the RIAA
[**] Only the RIAA could see this as a 'price drop'.