France To Tax The Internet To Fund Music And Culture

France has imposed a new tax that is going to charge ISPs a tax on the internet. The money raised with that tax will then be used to fund the CNM or Centre National de la Musique. This is a French organization that provides opportunities for funding music and cultural events. France is big on taxing things to pay for public access and already taxes TV for public access channels.

Presumably, the tax will result in increased costs to all subscribers whether they listen to music online or not. Apparently some in the French government think that the internet firms making money off the French market should be paying part of what they earn in taxes to the French government. The government isn't alone in wanting part of the money the music industry is making, many ISPs around the world would love to earn some of that money since music takes up a lot of bandwidth.

The French tax is said to be similar to a tax in the UK that funds the BBC. In France, the Union des producteurs phonographiques francais independants has praised the tax deal. I would assume the money raised but the tax will be used in part to pay independent musicians to play their music at cultural events and concerts in the country.

[via ActivePolitic]