Government on Audio

Cheers for the rating! Glad to know you have an interest in the future of the market. Enjoy your MP3 based future

C'mon guys try a different thread for once!

Martin

LOL Cheers whoever upped the rating!

Martin

I think that you will find that WTO does not encourage any form of subsidy for consumer electonics and rightly so.

Subsidies by HMG tend not to be publicised because of potential embarasments which could be raised if say an aggrieved foreign competitor made a complaint.

Regards

Mick

Its ok for the George 'W' to protect the American steel industry though isn't it!

Have to agree with Mick though its up to the manufacturers to compete on quality and price. Naim, Linn etc aren't in the same market place as the mass produced Japanese 'home entertainment systems'.

Cheers Guys,

I'm not suggesting that the trade should be subsidised, rather supported. Like with the recent RnD tax initiatives. Linn has been know to complain about punitive taxes and red tape and themselves and Naim have a relatively strong posistion in the market. However it made me think when you see the prices in the US for Naim kit perhaps some support could be given to aid export seeing as it brings money back into the country etc.

The governenet seem keen to chuck money at the british film industry - £14 mill recently to refurb cinemas and £1 mill p.a. to help with marketing costs. Yet apart from one or two films most flop.

We seem to support industries that we struggle at and forget when we have a bit of talent in an area. Just letting people get by.

With general audio development moving so fast some support would help meet changing consumer demands with a some quality for a change!

Martin

Cheers Guys,

I'm not suggesting that the trade should be subsidised, rather supported. Like with the recent RnD tax initiatives. Linn has been know to complain about punitive taxes and red tape. Themselves and Naim have a relatively strong posistion in the market. However it made me think when you see the prices in the US for Naim kit perhaps some support could be given to aid export seeing as it brings money back into the country etc.

The governenet seem keen to chuck money at the british film industry - £14 mill recently to refurb cinemas and £1 mill p.a. to help with marketing costs. Yet apart from one or two films most flop.

We seem to support industries that we struggle at and forget when we have a bit of talent in an area. Just letting people get by.

With general audio development moving so fast some support would help meet changing consumer demands with a some quality for a change!

Martin

Martinm

You have really answered your own question by citing the film industry as a flop.

It is ludicrous to expect the taxpayer to prop up ailing industries and if an industry cannot survive on its own merits, it deserves to sink.

As regards to subsidising foreign exports, just remember that the Americans may be tempted to do the same for their goods which are imported over here and then you have the laughable situation of skint taxpayers propping up an artificial market.

At the end of the day....the open market is the only way.

Regards

Mick

Cheers Mick,

My thought woulod be towards tax breaks rather than subsides. I agree that open market is right but we punish our players on our home soil.

I personally believe our engineers, both mech and electronic, design some of the best kit in the world (motorsport design etc as well). Yet they are hampered highly by taxes here and struggle to compete on a level with the worlds big boys. We are constantly in the state of being the niche boys of the world. Imagine what could be done with support! i.e. stop chucking my taxes at crap that doesn't stand a ghost in hells chance and send it where it would!


Oh I feel better for that rant!

Martin

Richard,

Thanks for the response. I'm not have a dig at the industry, rather the way the Government chuck money at it in such a stupid way, as i think you are saying(!?).
Rather than enhancing the strengths of the industry -script writing, SFX, post production etc - a large amount of money seems to be thrown in all the wrong areas.
My point was rather that if they put put this amount of money into an industry that struggles, why can't they support an industry that with more support could exel in the future?

It is interesting to hear what you say about how the investment they have provided for films has been so misplaced. You don't know if there are any articles on it anywhere do you, as i think my sister is studying something in that area at the moment.

cheers
Martin