Now that the Government has brought out a new White Paper that incorporates their proposed plans on the blank tape royalty, it's our job to investigate the subject once more, and we've tackled this thorny subject in this very issue. If a small levy on blank tapes would guarantee a real growth in the music industry, I'd be the first to go along with it. After all, copyright is being infringed on a regular and widespread basis, and most people who own a cassette recorder are guilty of this particular sin at one time or another. However, it is not the basic principle that I object to but the way in which it will be applied. Firstly, can we be sure that all this additional revenue will find its way to the rightful copyright owners, and can we also be sure that the music business will expand to make room for more new bands? Or will this extra cash just mean more business lunches for record company executives and additional wealth for those acts in the top 40?

But is home taping the real enemy? My theory is that the only way that members of the public become aware of new records is through the radio, the disco or through hearing records that their friends have bought. Of these three main modes of exposure, the first is by far the most significant which brings us up against the limitations of the Radio One play list system. It was hoped that the advent of local radio would help matters but sadly, most of these are just Radio One clones so the situation hasn't improved. Wouldn't it therefore be better if the record companies attacked this major obstacle to record sales before asking us all to subsidise them on this rather dubious levy basis? Clearly this is a ludicrous situation and whilst there are individual radio stations and DJs who do try to bring us a good variety of music, in general the situation is appalling.

If you feel strongly about the subject of blank tape levies, why not write to your MP, raise hell and threaten not to vote for him next time around until something sensible is worked out. If enough of us do it, someone might listen.