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RIAA CEO Hilary Rosen to Become CNBC Commentator

alen writes "According to a story by the New York Post the CEO of the RIAA is stepping down. She is going to be an anchor on CNBC. Maybe this is going to signal a change in the way record companies think about file sharing?"

61 of 304 comments (clear)

  1. Jeezus by ObviousGuy · · Score: 3, Funny

    It's like they are TRYING to piss me off.

    --
    I have been pwned because my /. password was too easy to guess.
  2. don't count on it by the_2nd_coming · · Score: 5, Insightful

    HR did not make the policy, she was just the mouth piece of the companies.

    --



    I am the Alpha and the Omega-3
    1. Re:don't count on it by NanoGator · · Score: 5, Funny

      "HR did not make the policy, she was just the mouth piece of the companies. "

      More like a sphincter.

      --
      "Derp de derp."
    2. Re:don't count on it by ccady · · Score: 4, Informative

      If Hilary Rosen did not make the policy, who did? Which particular people should we know about who are pulling the strings?

      President Cary Sherman? The board of directors? Jack Valenti of the MPAA?

      --
      J'aime mieux les méchants que les imbéciles, parce qu'ils se reposent. -- Alexandre Dumas
    3. Re:don't count on it by Blue+Stone · · Score: 2, Interesting
      "HR did not make the policy, she was just the mouth piece of the companies."

      What if... *shudder*.... she was a moderating voice amongst the companies?

      --
      Corporation, n. An ingenious device for obtaining individual profit without individual responsibility. - Ambrose Bierce
    4. Re:don't count on it by Pieroxy · · Score: 4, Funny

      change in the way record companies think

      Compilation error: Bad syntax at line 1.
      Words like "change" and "think" cannot be used in a sentence along with "record companies".

    5. Re:don't count on it by Sanity · · Score: 4, Funny
      Compilation error: Bad syntax at line 1. Words like "change" and "think" cannot be used in a sentence along with "record companies".
      Am I the only one that imagined this "joke" being spoken by Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons?

      Sorry Slashdotters - the Simpsons were making fun of people just like you!

    6. Re:don't count on it by Mad+Bad+Rabbit · · Score: 2, Insightful
      If Hilary Rosen did not make the policy, who did? Which particular people should we know about who are pulling the strings?

      The stockholders (possibly including your relatives and even you, if y'all have any money invested in mutual funds). Most of them are over 40, don't know or care what a "P2P" is, and don't want to lose what's left of their retirement investments just so college students can download songs for free.

      Good luck convincing them that the RIAA needs to die or radically change...

      --
      >;k
  3. And in other news... by DoofusOfDeath · · Score: 3, Funny

    CNBC will initiate a reverse class action suit against all of its viewers, for viewing its valuable television programs without paying.

  4. Fat chance! by imadork · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Maybe this is going to signal a change in the way record companies think about file sharing?

    Fat chance, considering who wants to replace her!

    1. Re:Fat chance! by Hogwash+McFly · · Score: 2, Funny

      Mary Bono's Raring to Run RIAA

      That reminds me: I've got no U2 mp3s on my puter, better go get some off Kazaa.

      --
      Mother, do you think they'll like this sig?
    2. Re:Fat chance! by hiryuu · · Score: 3, Informative

      That reminds me: I've got no U2 mp3s on my puter, better go get some off Kazaa.

      How old are you that you don't remember that Mary Bono is the widow of Sonny Bono (of "Sonny and Cher" fame), and not the Bono you've just mentioned?

      :P

      --
      Karma: Excellent, but still won't get you laid.
    3. Re:Fat chance! by binarybum · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I'm not sure exactly how the RIAA works, but I imagine record companies have some say about this position, no?

      People in powerful high-paying positions like that often don't step-down so much as they are asked to step down. Is it possible that the record companies are looking for someone who's even more of a total bitch than Rosen? Like Bono perhaps?

      --
      ôó
    4. Re:Fat chance! by letxa2000 · · Score: 2, Interesting
      The difference is that the intent of GPL is to make sure that open code stays that way. The intent of copyrighted music is to keep it "closed" and create scarcity.

      Basically, many people want everything here to be free. It's not that they're inconsistent, it's just that in a world where some individuals and corporations would take the free product of open-sources and turn it into closed-source products you use their same copyright laws against them to make sure it doesn't happen.

      Nice troll though.

    5. Re:Fat chance! by bsharitt · · Score: 4, Funny

      It that case, I should probably download some Sonny and Cher songs, but I just can't do that to my computer.

  5. Uh oh. by Masque · · Score: 5, Funny

    Guess this probably means an end to those late night CNBC BitTorrents. Sigh.

  6. Actually, this is strategic. by AMuse · · Score: 2, Funny

    She's reportedly been paid big money by the news organization to act on her strategy for preventing TIVO users from pirating their news feeds..... by making people stop watching!

  7. No dearth of crazies to take the helm by Qzukk · · Score: 3, Insightful

    As long as people like Senator Hatch are around, there will no doubt be plenty of psychos to take the helm and try to steer the RIAA against the winds of change.

    Somehow, the crew of the ship just doesn't understand that its about to capsize. Or they're too afraid to break their contracts and mutiny.

    --
    If I have been able to see further than others, it is because I bought a pair of binoculars.
    1. Re:No dearth of crazies to take the helm by retto · · Score: 2, Interesting

      There was also a piece on 20/20 a few months or so that was pretty pro-file-sharing. John Stossel for it, Barbara Walters was against (Barb you ignorant slut!). There was also a newsweek or time article (I get both, and can't remember which it was in) about DRM. Even had a nice graphic of a pair of hands handcuffed in front a computer screen. That kind of press will reach a lot of people that would never have cared about the DMCA before, or figured it wouldn't apply to anything they do. Hopefully that will draw more people over the 'free-speech' side, as posting anti-RIAA comments on /. is like preaching to the choir.

  8. Re:attention mozilla users... by AresTheImpaler · · Score: 5, Informative

    June 19, 2003 -- Hilary Rosen, the outgoing head of the Recording Industry Association of America, has landed an on-air gig at CNBC, The Post has learned.

    Rosen, who will officially step down from her powerful RIAA post at the end of the month, has inked a deal to be a commentator for CNBC, she recently told music industry executives in an e-mail, a copy of which was obtained by The Post.

    Her gig will begin Aug. 1. According to the e-mail, she will discuss politics on the network's evening show, "Capitol Report," and give commentary on the media industry on the shows "Power Lunch" and "Squawk Box."

    "They are looking for me to do the larger picture on some of the content convergence and media consolidation issues and know that I have a point of view on many issues as a longtime advocate," she wrote in the e-mail.

    She added that she will assist the network in its coverage of Congress and the upcoming presidential election.

    Rosen, who has been the chairwoman and CEO of the RIAA since 1998, announced in January her intention of stepping down.

    Tim Arango

  9. of course by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Just like Cheney quit his CEO job to become VP of the USA and conquer up some oil for his buddies back at Haliburton so it is that Hillary Rosen will quit the RIAA to spread propoganda for her RIAA industry chums on the TV.

  10. What about Orrin Hatch by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative
  11. Mouthpiece or policymaker? by Desult · · Score: 5, Insightful

    On one hand, most of the pieces I've read on the RIAA/Rosen have either directly indicated, or been chimed in upon, that Rosen was just a mouthpiece for the big bad record labels, who don't want you to be able to copy your CDs. She's been more or less a scapegoat/forerunner for a lot of negative ideas about what you can and can't do with your licensed recordings.

    On the other hand, this story is posted with the question "Maybe this is going to signal a change in the way record companies think about file sharing?"

    This seems rather silly, also noting that Rosen is stepping down to become a news commentator, aka a talking head, aka a mouthpiece. I have very little inclination to believe that Rosen has had, or will have any large influence on RIAA policy. Am I wrong?

    -Greg

    --
    -Greg
    1. Re:Mouthpiece or policymaker? by silne · · Score: 2, Interesting
      who don't want you to be able to copy your CDs


      My CDs? Since when have they been my cds? I only pay money to purchase them. Has the US Govt suddenly decided that because somebody's paid money for something that it actually belongs to them??

    2. Re:Mouthpiece or policymaker? by Uart · · Score: 4, Informative

      I sense a certain degree of sarcasm in your comment, but you are absolutely right. You pay money for something alright, you are buying two things when you go to the record store:

      1) The physical media - the CD itself
      2) The right to listen to that physical media

      You are not purchasing the music itself - your rights in terms of how you may use that music are limited. This has a strong basis in copyright law. Ever wonder what, "All Rights Reserved" means? The artist in question reserves all rights to their work, their intellectual property.

      Copyright legislation can be found at Title 17 US Code. You can read all about it, but the gist is that you don't buy the copyright, or any rights, other than those that the copyright holder is willing to give you - in the RIAA's case, they say you only have the right to listen to your CDs in private. Deal with it.

      Copyright law has an important purpose, it protects the rights of those who generate the IP. This encourages people to do this, adding to the culture and technological prowess of our nation. Without copyright laws, Musicians, Authors, Poets, Software companies, and others would be either unable to make money or would recieve greatly diminished returns.

      What kind of music will you be listening to when Radiohead has to work the day shift at the 7-11 just to make ends meat? Perhaps J.D. Salinger's work would have been better if he had worked full time as an accountant and only wrote on the weekends? By denying copyright protection, that is what you create, a rotting cesspool of a nation with diminished culture (art/music/literature/etc). You would surely stifle technological advancements, why would a software company even bother to invest their money in research if others can benefit from their work at a far-lesser cost?

      --

      Opinionated Law Student Strikes Again!
  12. Change?! by Dirtside · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Maybe this is going to signal a change in the way record companies think about file sharing?
    Not bloody likely. The record companies haven't changed their business model, and the odds of Rosen being replaced with someone who doesn't believe the exact same things she does (or, at least, is getting paid to believe them) are essentially nil.
    --
    "Destroy science and religion. Science would re-emerge exactly the same; but not religion." - Penn Jillette, paraphrased
  13. Re:attention mozilla users... by topham · · Score: 2, Insightful

    So, it's a career based infomercial the RIAA arranged for her.

    nice.

  14. I honestly doubt it by jesse.k · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I really don't see how hilary rosen resigning is gonna signal any change in how the RIAA does business, if anything it might get worse. I can easily see her replacement being yet another lawyer headed shark from one of the big record labels.

    If the record industry wanted to save itself, they'd drop the cost of CDs down to $8 or less and partner with someone like Apple to deliver a real legal digital music service. Then they might find a more sympathetic ear in regards to piracy.

  15. She might change her opinion on digital media by Frac · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I wouldn't be surprised if Hilary Rosen would become more open to digital media in general.

    Afterall, she was simply the talking head for RIAA - when Hilary Rosen speaks out against P2P, it's not because Rosen hates P2P, but rather it's because the five record companies tell her to do so. I recall reading articles on Rosen quietly expressing frustration at times with the record companies' unwillingness to compromise or embrace new business models.

    She obvious has a very strong domain of knowledge in the recording industry, and now that she's free from the shackles of being the public face of RIAA, I'm actually looking forward to hear her personal opinion on digital distribution.

  16. What's the differerence by wfrp01 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    What's the difference between NBC, CNBC, and MSNBC? And gee, do you think there's any conflict of interest in having an IP lawyer not only work, but anchor a media organization?!

    Someday naming your daughter Hillary will be as favorable as naming your son Adolph.

    --

    --Lawrence Lessig for Congress!
    1. Re:What's the differerence by ObviousGuy · · Score: 2, Funny

      Someday naming your daughter Hillary will be as favorable as naming your son Adolph.

      For some people of a certain political persuasion that someday has already come.

      --
      I have been pwned because my /. password was too easy to guess.
    2. Re:What's the differerence by chunkwhite86 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Someday naming your daughter Hillary will be as favorable as naming your son Adolph.

      Amen. We've seen some real dumb shit Hillarys in the news over the past few years.

      I think that "someday" is upon us.

      --
      I'd rather be a conservative nutjob than a liberal with no nuts and no job.
  17. No it wont by chunkwhite86 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Maybe this is going to signal a change in the way record companies think about file sharing?

    No, it will just signal a change (read: increase) in the amount of negative media attention that file swapping gets ;-)

    --
    I'd rather be a conservative nutjob than a liberal with no nuts and no job.
  18. Re:Oh great.... by bedouin · · Score: 4, Funny

    What's next? Perhaps CNBC will hire David Duke to do commentary.

    Didn't Foxnews already do that?

  19. Or maybe.... by MortisUmbra · · Score: 3, Interesting

    She just didn't have sharp enough teeth?

    MAYBE, they will replace her with somebody ten time s worse? Considering her lack of accomplishments (i.e. all those evil filesharers are still walking free) I wouldn't be suprised.

    --

    "The saddest words of mice and men, are not those which were, but should have been."
    1. Re:Or maybe.... by heli0 · · Score: 3, Funny

      So Orrin Hatch was auditioning for the job when he said the RIAA should be able to "destroy" peoples computers?

      --
      Whenever the offence inspires less horror than the punishment, the rigour of penal law is obliged to give way...
  20. She better be damn good looking by rinkjustice · · Score: 4, Funny

    "They are looking for me to do the larger picture on some of the content convergence and media consolidation issues and know that I have a point of view on many issues as a longtime advocate," she wrote in the e-mail.

    Yeah, and her opinions, as before, will be wrong, wrong, WRONG!

    (Who was the liar who told Hilary the public wants to hear more of her rants anyway?)

  21. Top 10 New Career Moves: by Sophrosyne · · Score: 5, Funny

    10. Mud-wrestle lesbians in Japan.
    9. Box Lesbians in Japan.
    8. Become a "consultant".
    7. Start Rosen.com, publish a super duper blog and live off ad revenue.
    6. Join Kathy-Lee Gifford on her music tour.
    5. Write a book!
    4. Star in Playboy's "Women of the Internet" issue.
    3. Go into rehab.
    2. Get married to Ted Turner- make lotsa babies!
    1. Get a job with those scumbags at CNBC....

    1. Re:Top 10 New Career Moves: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      Star in Playboy's "Women of the Internet" issue.

      Don't copy, don't copy my vagina!

      My vagina is licensed for only one orgasm. In order to use my image to enhance your masturbation, you must buy a copy for each ejaculation. My image can not be used at circle jerks as it's a violation of copyright laws.

    2. Re:Top 10 New Career Moves: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      By looking at the vagina, you agree to the terms of the Vaginal User Licensced Viewing Agreement. If you do not agree to the VULVA, you must promptly return your copy to the vendor for a refund.

      -- Captain Chaos

    3. Re:Top 10 New Career Moves: by lommer · · Score: 2, Funny

      4. Star in Playboy's "Women of the Internet" issue.

      um, have you seen Ms. Rosen? I don't think you could pay playboy to print that...

  22. Mary Bono wants the job by ryder · · Score: 4, Interesting

    And that's not a good thing.

    I saw a bit about Mary Bono wanting the job a few days ago. Here's a link to the wired story This can't be a good thing considernig the 1998 copyright extension bill bares her late husbands name.

  23. B5 quote... by Rob+Simpson · · Score: 4, Funny

    "But once you've been inside of one of those ships for a while, you're never... quite whole... again. But you do as you're told!"

  24. Too bad ... by emkman · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Too bad she didn't take a position at Fox News. Then we wouldn't have to accuse her of being a biased media personality, it would be implied.

    --
    Moderation Totals: Flamebait=2, Troll=1, Redundant=1, Insightful=6, Overrated=1, Underrated=1, Total=12. (not mine)
  25. Oh, god... by SamMichaels · · Score: 5, Funny

    Now we get to hear this idiot wind bag on TV even more? On a regular basis?

    $5 says it was a settlement. The RIAA caught CNBC people sharing music at work and rather than sue the pants off them, they offered her a show.

  26. Maybe this is like Heathers... by curtlewis · · Score: 2, Funny

    Hilary Rosen leaving RIAA to become CNBC anchor

    maybe that means...

    Hilliary Clinton leaving Senate to head up RIAA.

    and that would leave...

    Hilary Swank quits her acting career to become NY Senator!

  27. Hilary Rosen anagram = HORNY SAILER by corebreech · · Score: 5, Funny

    This is important! The people must know!

    (want to piss her off? mod this post insightful!)

  28. Rosen just a mouthpiece? NOT! by c0d3h4x0r · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Many of you keep saying Hilary was just a mouthpiece of the RIAA and had no hand in setting policy. You actually think that she might turn out to be some kind of ethical human being after leaving the RIAA.

    Let me give you a bit of a wake-up call: if she were an ethical human being then she wouldn't have allowed herself to serve as the RIAA's mouthpiece for any amount of money. Any ethical human being with any concern for the public welfare would have rejected any carrots the RIAA dangled in front of them and given them the big "Fuck you". There are plenty of other jobs out there that deal with media and technology that wouldn't require a daily sacrifice of ethical principles.

    No, this is seriously bad news. Now not only is she evil, but she's evil being pumped straight into homes on a nightly basis. It wouldn't surprise me if this move was secretly orchestrated by the RIAA so as to get someone with their bias into the mainstream media in an unsuspecting, insidious way.

    --
    Moderator hint: a comment is neither "Flamebait" nor "Troll" if it is true.
  29. hang on a sec... by howhardcanitbetocrea · · Score: 2, Funny

    Isn't this commentator sharing? Who can we see about putting a stop to this???

    --

    President ISES
    (International Society for Elimination of Sigs)
  30. Scary thing is.... by Sven+The+Space+Monke · · Score: 5, Interesting
    The scariest part is that she was. At least according to her Wired interview - she made it sound like she was the lone voice of reason. I remember her saying she tried to convince them (the real power holders in the RIAA) that they won't be able to end file sharing through legal means or DRM, and that they will have to embrace the future (easy & cheap digital distrobution) if they don't want to go under. I also seem to remember her saying she has an iPod loaded with mp3's.

    Not that I'm defending all those PR statements she made, or anything like that.

    --
    A man who can't pronouce "nuclear arsenal" shouldn't have one -sig ends here.
    1. Re:Scary thing is.... by cshark · · Score: 4, Interesting

      You can't fault her for that. The RIAA is a terrible organization. Even in her position, I would imagine that there isn't much she could have done to change things.

      I mean would you want to work with a consortium that takes more pleasure in suing defensless college studants than actually producing a viable product? I don't blame her for stepping down. Any other sensible person would have done the same.

      Given her experience with the RIAA though, I would be curious to see what stance she takes as a commentator.

      --

      This signature has Super Cow Powers

    2. Re:Scary thing is.... by chundo · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Here's an interview with her from 2000... she almost sounds downright reasonable at times. I wouldn't be surprised if she was more ready to embrace new technologies than the member companies, and was forced in the other direction.

      -j

    3. Re:Scary thing is.... by ukyoCE · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Hm. Well,

      a) If you were there, and no one else was making sense, isn't the best thing to try to fix things from the inside? There are plenty of people (unsuccessfully) trying to talk reason to the RIAA from the outside already.

      b) If she's covering ass so she can play both sides as a journalist, that sounds good to me. How much have we heard both sides of piracy so far?

      I've never once heard a hint of sarcasm when "journalists" read the RIAA's statistics on how bad they're doing or how many gazillions of dollars piracy has cost them.

      My first fear when reading this article was "great, as if the news media wasn't biased enough already against file sharing". I was quite surprised to hear someone complaining that she would be taking our side in the news media.

  31. A scary combination by drdale · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Don't forget that CNBC is a venture between NBC and... Microsoft. Go to the CNBC page and see where you end up.

    --
    This post is dedicated to all of those /.ers who do not dedicate their posts to themselves.
  32. Re:Yea, she volunteered to be RIAA president by El · · Score: 3, Funny

    Hey, pay me $250,000 a year and I might pretend to agree with those positions too!

    --

    "Freedom means freedom for everybody" -- Dick Cheney

  33. Anchor? by Esion+Modnar · · Score: 2, Funny

    Try tying her to an anchor, now that i'd like to see...

    --

    They say the first thing to go is your penis. Well, it's either that or your brain. I forget which...
  34. no differerence by twitter · · Score: 2, Insightful
    What's the difference between NBC, CNBC, and MSNBC?

    No difference they are owned by the same people. They and different but identical people own the RIAA member companies as well. So, the opions are the same. How else could a corporate loudmouth be taken seriously as a journalist unless journaists mostly reported for corporate loudmouths?

    Every aspect of traditional electronic publishing is regulated, degenerate and obsolete. It's not a free press and their choice of talking heads only proves the point.

    --

    Friends don't help friends install M$ junk.

  35. Good for her. by bgeer · · Score: 2, Funny

    Not only is she getting a promotion from shill for record labels to shill for GE and Microsoft, but also she'll be pleased to know that there is a 0% chance of her show ever being traded on p2p.

  36. Fewer new titles? by yerricde · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Most seem to be under the delusion that P2P networks don't hurt sales.

    Does P2P file sharing hurt record sales more than a slow economy and fewer new titles?

    And many who aren't under that delusion believe that a one-line disclaimer saying "don't use this software for copyright infringement" is plausible deniability.

    In the USA: If a product is capable of substantial non-infringing use, then making or selling that product is not contributory infringement of copyright in works that the product is able to copy (RIAA v. Grokster, citing Sony v. Universal).

    Personally, yes, I'm against copyright law

    I agree that copyright as we know it is fundamentally broken, but what alternative model gives authors an incentive to create works without copyright's drawbacks? I know of patronage (that is, commissioning of original works for use in advertising) and the Street Performer Protocol (which is useful for series), but are there other models with as wide applicability as copyright?

    --
    Will I retire or break 10K?
  37. Yeah, things'll change, alright. by Mordant · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The gloves will -really- come off - no more Mr. Nice Guy! ;>

  38. You a tard or a RIAA shill? by alizard · · Score: 4, Insightful
    What kind of music will you be listening to when Radiohead has to work the day shift at the 7-11 just to make ends meat?

    Next time, get all of the facts from your bosses before posting. Had you ever heard of Radiohead before getting your assignment?

    Radiohead is a case study in the use of Internet promotion:
    Radiohead's honour follows the group's decision to ditch traditional marketing methods for their recent album Kid A in favour of internet promotion.

    That's from a winter 2000 BBC news article.

    Radiohead is a long-standing Internet success story, and if they'd listened to your friends, they'd be making a hell of a lot less money today.

    An increasing number of artists have found that distribution of MP3s via Internet Radio and the networkss your OwN3rZ want to get rid of plus touring and direct sale of CDs at gigs and via the Net is a perfectly reasonable way to make a living. One has to sell a lot less records to make a living when one is getting 90% of the gross profit off a $10 CD than 1% of a $20 CD. Search for Janis Ian on slashdot. She's been making records longer than you've probably been alive. Find out if she thinks the record industry protects the rights of musicians.

    With respect to your. . . interesting interpretation of copyright law, was your omission of any mention of "fair use" in your post deliberate, or left out of the RIAA propaganda you obviously based your post on.

    Speaking as a published writer, I certainly support reasonable copyright protection. I don't need my copyright extended to 50 or 75 or 1000 years after my death. I don't want anyone to destroy computers by the millions to "protect" my work. I don't want protecting my work to come at the price of eventually forcing consumer electronics development to move out of the US and if EU follows the US lead as it seems to be doing, following software development to India and China. If someone xeroxes a copy of one of my print articles at a public library, I don't want any of your buddies to burn down the library to "protect" my copyright.

    Oh, BTW, I'm working with an independent musician now. I can't find any friends willing to host her work for P2P networks because they're afraid of attack by the people who you are being a paid or unpaid mouthpiece for. So promoting her outside the RIAA framework is more difficult. Tell your bosses "Thanks, assholes"...

    I don't know if you are on the RIAA payroll or not. You certainly parrot their party line perfectly.

    However, since you do such a good job of playing a mouthpiece for RIAA viewpoints, if you aren't getting paid by them, you're awfully stupid. Go to their site and apply for a job. Use your post as proof that you're good at spreading "the good word" in a hostile forum.

    Perhaps there are even a few people stupid enough to believe you.