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RIAA Co-Opts More Universities

Posted by simoniker on from the more-more-more dept.

southpolesammy writes "The Register reports that six more US Universities and colleges have agreed to enter into protection schemes with the RIAA. In short, several institutions have signed deals with the RIAA's lapdog, the Napster music service, to 'goad these schools toward becoming music brokers'. The underlying threat of being sued by the RIAA if they don't pay them off is almost certainly the driving force behind their acceptance of this scheme. And of course, there's the ever-present gag order they'll probably enforce on these new universities as well. Great business model guys. Way to engender yourselves to your biggest customer base."

11 of 305 comments (clear)

  1. *Yawn* yes, the RIAA is bad. BUT, come on... by Bold+Marauder · · Score: 5, Interesting

    First off, let me make something crystal clear up-front. I in no way condone the way that the RIAA
    has tried to unethically shape our legal landscape, much less the shadier tactics they've employed.

    They're scum, no question about it.

    However, the other side of the equation is almost pathological. While you have many honest people who simply want to defend their Fair Use rights, you also have a loud, vocal "I want I want I want" community who simply believes that it is eeeee-vil that they should ever have to pay for goods (cds) or services.

    there has to be some sort of compromise between the two, and I honestly think this is a first, halting step in the right direction. I don't think much of napster, but I believe that if a university sponsored the use of a service such as Real's Rhapsody service which allowed unlimited streaming (as opposed to a mandatory $X a song) of music, it would be a good compromise between the two posistions. People would have access to a large library of music, and the artists would be recieving compensation.

    Hell, if nothing else, the sponsorship of such a program may well help to diminish any credible claims that the RIAA has to push through bizarre and draconian laws.

    1. Re:*Yawn* yes, the RIAA is bad. BUT, come on... by alstor · · Score: 5, Insightful

      As a college student, my biggest problem with this new "system" is whether it creates a compulsory fee for the students. If the gag effect wasn't in place, I might not be as worried because I would know the details, but if this will be a mandatory fee, I have a serious problem. I feel that I have the right to determine what to spend my money on, especially in such a jaded area as this.

      The other part of the program that bugs me is not being able to keep the songs after graduation without "buying" them.

      Once their four years at school are over, the students are cut off from Napster and lose all the music they've download. That is unless they pay 99 cents per song or $10 per album to own a permanent download that can be burned onto CDs or MP3 players.

      In my mind, if I have already paid a fee to buy as many songs as I wish, why should I be required to purchase the same thing later? Will I have to re-purchase the iBook I just paid for using an academic discount when I graduate as well? I sure hope not.

    2. Re:*Yawn* yes, the RIAA is bad. BUT, come on... by EvilStein · · Score: 5, Interesting

      "It sort of pisses me off to see all these people going around saying how they have all of Artist X's CDs, when really they just have a bunch of MP3s burnt onto CD. You can hardly call yourself a fan if that's what you do."

      I agree with that to a point, but do want to bring up the fact that when a CD goes out of print, sometimes it is *VERY* hard to ever find an original copy. I know of quite a few artists that have released CDs that weren't chart-burners and wound up dropping out of print. I'd love to have the CDs, but they are friggin *IMPOSSIBLE* to find. NO record stores in the entire area have the CD. ("Ambition" by Tommy Shaw from Styx is a perfect example) - I was on the "watch list" at no less than 15 records here in the SF Bay Area. The CD was *NEVER* found. Nearly 8 years later, I found a copy on eBay - and paid $90 for it.

      I would LOVE to own more and more CDs but I just don't listen to a lot of the crap that's out these days. The CDs that I do want, I cannot find. (Example: the brand new Marillion CD - neither Borders, nor Best Buy, nor Circuit City has the CD. Tower Records said they could order it - 2 weeks shipping.)

      Finding music can really be a pain in the ass sometimes.
      In the second example, I'm going to order the CD directly from www.marillion.com instead. They're a very smart band..

    3. Re:*Yawn* yes, the RIAA is bad. BUT, come on... by networkBoy · · Score: 5, Insightful


      We certainly DO deserve music for free.

      What crack are you smoking? (I want some!)
      The only music you deserve for free is what you can whistle/play/sing yourself. If it ain't in the public record/artistic commons/similar licence and (C) is owned by someone who wants to charge for it then you should (and legally MUST) pay for it. Fair use as a legal construct only applies to limited use (i.e. educational setting, keeping your purchased media safe while playing a backup, etc.)
      What really pisses me off is peoples' like you with their sense of entitlement. YOU ARE NOT ENTITLED! (Unless you live in Canada where they already pay for downloads in a roundabout way)
      Mod me a Troll/Flamebait/whatever But this is the reality.
      -nB

      --
      whois gawk date unzip strip find touch finger mount join nice man top fsck grep eject more yes exit umount sleep dump
  2. Under Pressure by Grayden · · Score: 5, Funny

    Perhaps the university officials received threats of being SNIPPED and GUNNED down...

    --
    Shades of Grayden
  3. Real nice network you got here... by bugnuts · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Sure would hate to see anything happen to it!

    RIAA just hit their highest sales, despite these mobster tactics.

    lying bastards.

  4. Disapoointing to say the least by StateOfTheUnion · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Why is the RIAA going after universities and "extorting" (ok maybe that's harsh . . ."pressuring") universities to grant a cumpulsory license to each student. What about the music student that's studying 16th century harpsicord? If this student doesn't want to listen to pop-garbage or even some of the better stuff in the napster library or if this person has a very trained ear, and they don't want/like to hear compressed music, then why is a portion of their tuition/fees going to napster for a servie that they don't want?

    The RIAA is preying on the lawsuit fears of universities in an attempt to gain a captive market of students that are forced to have Napster whether they want it or not.

  5. Business Ethics Alive and Well by Saeed+al-Sahaf · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Great business model

    It's a terrific business model, what are you talking about? You think they don't understand that it's an implied threat? Why else would a university bite? Of course they know it's a threat, and they don't care if you think it's sleazy, what they do care about is how much of a threat the universities think it is. Damn right it's a threat, do you think anyone would pay them otherwise? It's a fine business model in a world where "business ethics" is not about "ethics" but what you can legally get away with.

    --
    "Who are in control, they are not in control of anything - they don't even control themselves!" - Glen Beck
  6. Re:As if college prices weren't bad enough... by riptide_dot · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Oh no! Another $30 per year (if you read the article) in order to download all the free music you want for four years?

    Acutally, I did read the entire article:

    "This is a nice service if holding onto to your tunes is not important. Once their four years at school are over, the students are cut off from Napster and lose all the music they've download. That is unless they pay 99 cents per song or $10 per album to own a permanent download that can be burned onto CDs or MP3 players.

    Keep in mind too, that this charge applies to ALL students, not just those that want to download music. And what about those from other countries/cultures that won't find their particular tastes in music on Napster?

    The total cost of this is yet to be determined. That's just the price these colleges agreed to for now - who knows what the RIAA will start charging them in a few years, or what will happen if their students find a way to circumvent the Napster, etc, etc, etc...

    "Napster offers a unique blend of a name students recognize, a broad music library that appeals to every taste and community features that let you discover new music and share your favorites with friends...."

    Ah, but you can only share them with friends that are also currently enrolled at another one of these universities...:)

    --
    I was in the park the other day wondering why frisbees get bigger and bigger the closer they get - and then it hit me.
  7. Wtf do the universities have to do with this? by zalle · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I find it ridiculous that the universities themselves are paying anything to the scumbags. How can anyone even consider the possibility that random schools have anything to do with their students actions, much less have legal responsibility for those actions? Even more amazing is the fact that the universities are making any kinds of contracts for the students. Back here in Europe, their purpose is to provide education, but I guess it's pretty much different in the US, where they are more of a kindergarten than a place of research and study.

  8. Bye bye alumni donation by poot_rootbeer · · Score: 5, Interesting


    I'm an alumnus of one of the universities mentioned, and I'm writing up a letter to be sent to the President and Board of Trustees. It will express my disappointment in their capitulation to RIAA pressure and negligent misuse of funds, and let them know that as long as this deal is in place, the university will no longer be getting any alumni support from myself, and I will encourage my fellow alumni to do the same.

    Napster has no legitimate educational purpose. They can go ahead and waste someone else's money (read: the current student body's) on this worthless and unjustifiable service, but I can make sure they will not be wasting my money on it.