Newspaper CD giveaways attacked

Free CDs given away by newspapers have been attacked by some in the music industry who say they harm sales and give an impression that music is free.

Music managers and retailers have spoken out against the growing practice of putting CDs inside weekend papers. "The music industry is just helping the tabloids fight their war against each other," an HMV spokesman said. "But it's difficult to see how the industry is doing anything to protect its own interests in the long term."

The scale of the promotions has recently grown, with some papers now giving away double CDs including big hits by established artists. The record companies involved get paid for the songs - but critics say it makes fans less likely to buy that artist's albums, unless they are new to the music scene and need exposure.

It also sends a message that music is cheap and disposable, undermining an industry campaign that music should be paid for and not downloaded for free, critics say.

Read the article: www.bbc.co.uk