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London (pte060/14.04.2005/17:00) - Independent record labels have complained to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) in an attempt to stop changes to the official UK singles chart. As the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk reports, the Association of Independent Music (AIM) said that the combined download and CD chart launch on 17 April is "extremely premature". Indie music's absence from key retail outlets and a lack of download sales figures have prompted AIM's concerns. The Official Charts Company (OCC) has called the complaint "unfounded".
According to Alison Wenham, the chief executive of AIM, they approached the OFT only after the organisation had "exhausted all other options". "We have been very concerned for some time that the date set for the launch of the combined chart is extremely premature, given the rather tentative supply chain structure at the moment, and that has failed. It's quite clear from every aspect we examine this that the chart is premature to be launched as an official chart, which is a barometer of consumer tastes," she said. She added that a number of retailers have failed to deliver download data this week. According to Wenham, independent labels stood to benefit from the new countdown when the supply chain was robust enough for it to go public, which was a "very exciting" prospect.
Independent labels have already expressed concerns that major competitors may use the download charts to massage sales figures, revealing a lack of security in the system. According to the OCC, the "hyping" in the download market will lead to a ban for any label caught chart-fixing, and it is "pretty confident" about security. Early indications suggest that Tony Christie's (Is This The Way To) Amarillo will become the first number one in the combined chart, following four weeks on the traditional sales rundown. Several singles are expected to climb the chart as a result of download and shop sales being collated together for the first time.
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