Web Radio and the RIAA

Andrew Leonard writes: "Steve Marks, VP of legal affairs of the RIAA, is duking it out with critics in a point-counterpoint debate focusing on the nitty-gritty details of how artists will be compensated by the new rules on Webcasting royalties."

Comments

Urgh

[Gizzmonic]

reading the first point-counterpoint exchange pretty much reveals (as we all suspected) that this is a heavy-handed attempt to curb music distribution outside of accepted RIAA channels.

Since the FCC allowed Clear Channel to own up to 49% of as many local radio stations as they wanted, I've heard a lot more crap on the radio, both from shitty Creed ripoffs and more screaming car salesman. Stuff like live365.com keeps me going during work hours. If this passes, I'll probably just turn the radio up till I go deaf. It would be better than commercial radio is now.

AM and FM anyone?

[guamman]

Personally, I don't understand why record companies want to charge for webcasts or why they think they are entitled to. AM and FM have always been free after price of equipment (a radio). A webcast is simply the progression of this using new technology. From the point of view of the artist, I would want my songs to get as much air (and web) play as possible in an attempt to sell more records, tapes, cds, minidiscs, dvds, etc. All casts, that is streaming music whose content is not decided by the listener directly, should be free. That, is the entire point of advertising. Don't make people pay for the ads, which music on a cast is for the artist's cds anyway.

Re:Compensation

[Binky The Oracle]

Don't ever listen to the RIAA saying that they're fighting for artist rights, or ensuring that artists are properly compensated. That's not their job. The RIAA's job is to protect the interests of the recording companies.

If BMI, ASCAP, SESAC, AFTRA, etc. weigh in, then you can listen with a slightly less-jaded ear, but the RIAA saying they're looking out for artists is like Microsoft saying that they're only trying to squash unix for the good of their customers.

Like them or not, the RIAA is a very effective organization for what they do - but I take offense when they purport to represent the interests of recording artists.