Feargal Sharkey Launches New Music Body To Target Illegal File Sharing

Former Undertones frontman Feargal Sharkey will launch a new organisation later today  (October 27th) aimed safeguarding the future of the music industry.

The UK Music body will call on the government to address the problem of illegal file sharing, as well as extend the copyright term afforded to artists, which is currently limited to fifty years.

The organisation represents a wide range of music bodies, including, BPI, the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters, and the Music Managers Forum.

"The thing we all realised is that we all agree with each other 95% of the time. It's looking at where the industry is going to be three, four or five years from now," Sharkey told the Guardian newspaper.

Earlier this year the Government set a deadline of April 2009 for internet service providers (ISPs) to prove they are trying to end illegal downloading.

But its plans, outlined by Culture Secretary Andy Burnham, were seen as ambiguous by industry experts.

The UK Music body, which hopes to attract the recently formed Featured Artists' Coalition, is due to deliver their manifesto next year.