Independent artists don't need any help letting people download their goods through torrents they upload and by promoting themselves through message boards and website/myspace/facebook/youtube/whatever exposure. Fuck assholes trying to make money through endorsements and advertising by offering to "help" the people providing the content. It is a farce imho.
Also, I honestly believe that there would be less people downloading things illegally if major labels, publishers. distributors and mass media stopped cramming complete and utter soulless shite down our throats so they can stick their hooks into the stupid middle-class teenage demographic. If it wasn't for the fact the at least 90% of music, film, literature and t.v. is shite, more people would be prepared to part with their money more easily.
E.g. How many times in your life have you bought a C.D. because you liked the single only to discover that the album was a stinking pile of horse excrement?
I think of torrents as a try before you buy system that actually works. Also, it allows people access to media they would not otherwise be able to purchase without great hassle. People from Australia would agree with that last point as we are sometimes considered to be not large enough a market for certain record labels and film studios to consider for distribution.
I am not condoning the theft of peoples intellectual property, Im just saying.