Website clarifies online music fees  

多家音乐网站否认6月5日起网上下载音乐将收费

日前有媒体报导称6月5日起网上下载音乐将收费。记者通过采访了解到，这个消息并不准确，多家音乐网站均无动作，也表示不知情。虾米音乐网则澄清，网站付费下载已实施很久，5日开通的只是针对高品质音乐的收费。

Beijing (ECNS) -- The music website Xiami denied that they would charge for all online music, saying that recent reports apply only to high-quality music service.

Wang Xiaowei, COO of Xiami, said Monday in an interview that major music websites such as Xiami, Baidu music, QQ music, Kugou, Duomi and Kuwo will start charging for music service, including online listening and downloading, within two months from Wednesday, according to recent reports.

Xiami said Wang's comments were not accurate, since he is in charge of technology.

A staffer at Xiami surnamed Gao said users have been paying for music downloads since the very beginning, and Wang was only referring to the high-quality music service during the interview.

He said fees for high-quality music services are charged by numbers and by month, adding that online listening of common-quality music is still free.

Gao also said that they undervalued Internet users' interest, as the number of users who joined the VIP club went beyond expectations. He predicted that general online music charges were inevitable.

Staffers from Baidu music, QQ music and Kuwo all said they haven't been informed about charging.

Wang Ju, deputy head of the China Audio and Video Association, said it was still not the right time to promote overall charging for music services.

Chang Shilei, a well-known composer and singer, supported online music charging, saying it could encourage music creation.