UK Recording Industry Wants Allofmp3 An Issue at G8

alveraan writes "According to a the BBC, 'the UK recording industry is urging the foreign secretary to raise the issue of Russian bargain music download website allofmp3.com at the G8 summit'. British Phonographic Industry (BPI) chairman Peter Jamieson wants Margaret Beckett to 'urge the Russian government to take action against the operators of the site by insisting that it is removed from the internet'. Allofmp3 has insisted in the past that it is operating in compliance with Russian copyright laws."

Comments

Be Ashamed

[SB_SamuraiSam]

Seriously. Even wanting to bitch about piracy there and now is disgraceful when there are more important things at hand.

Re:Be Ashamed

[A Dafa Disciple]

Oh, you know how it is with all these political types. It's not about what's "important"; Importance is only relative anyways.

You know what makes an issue seem important? Voices. Voices create the feeling of presence. And surely, if there is presence on behalf of a particular issue, then that issue seems important. Unfortunately for the masses, a small number of rich people can buy voices and create presence, thus promoting their own ideologies as important.

I kind of feel that this post should be moderated as "Well duh," but perhaps a reminder never hurts.

Re:Be Ashamed

[zanidor]

Even wanting to bitch about piracy there and now is disgraceful when there are more important things at hand.

Exactly. Like how "The British Phonographic Industry" always looks like "The British Pornographic Industry" at first glance. IMO, this is a huge image/credibility issue with the BPI that must be addressed ASAP.

Re:Be Ashamed

[Anonymous Coward]

Oh, you know how it is with all these political types. It's not about what's "important"; Importance is only relative anyways.

You know what makes an issue seem important? Voices.

Close, but not quite. Most politicians have learned to ignore voices pretty damn well. What makes an issue seem important is how much money, power, and/or fame they can use the issue to obtain, or how much money, power, and/or fame they stand to lose if they ignore the issue. For most politicians, unless you can promise them that listening to you will bring them one of those three things, they couldn't care less what you have to say.

Re:Be Ashamed

[A Dafa Disciple]

Close, but not quite. Most politicians have learned to ignore voices pretty damn well. What makes an issue seem important is how much money, power, and/or fame they can use the issue to obtain, or how much money, power, and/or fame they stand to lose if they ignore the issue. For most politicians, unless you can promise them that listening to you will bring them one of those three things, they couldn't care less what you have to say.

I definitely agree with you, 110%. I think an addendum to that would be that there are in fact times when politicians don't have an opportunity to pursue their self-serving interests, when the opposing pressure is too great and the spotlight is too bright; basically, a politician is only as honest as the people keep him.

Re:Be Ashamed

[Apotekaren]

It's sad really that the UN has been belittled to such a unuseful role.
People wonder why none of the dictatorships are being intimidated by the supposed power of the UN. The answer is simple. If the wester countries ignore the UN, so can they. *cough*War in Iraq*cough*.
If the US can just trample UN resolutions without any sanctions, do you think the dictators have any reason to belive the UN can have any power over THEM?

International Influence

[A Dafa Disciple]

I can see the RIAA drooling over this event.

With the UKRI pushing their agenda in allofmp3.com's backyard, at a conference of international powers, this becomes an international issue.

Whatever happens there is likely to serve as some sort of moral precedence and influence legislators in the US as well.

Re:International Influence

[TheRaven64]

And the more they push it, the more people will hear about allofmp3.com. Some of them may visit the site, and see how cheap it is to distribute music online. They may start to realise that it's possible to distribute that 99 iTunes track for 10, cover all distribution costs, and still make a profit. They may start wondering if the recording industry really deserves to be getting 90/track for music that was recorded decades ago by people who are now dead, of if they deserve a 900% profit margin.

Re:International Influence

[shark72]

"And the more they push it, the more people will hear about allofmp3.com. Some of them may visit the site, and see how cheap it is to distribute music online. They may start to realise that it's possible to distribute that 99 iTunes track for 10, cover all distribution costs, and still make a profit."

I was at Best Buy the other day, looking at large flat panel monitors. They were nice, but I just couldn't justify buying one for $1,000. Then when I was in the parking lot, a scruffy looking kid called me over to his car. His trunk was open, and he had some monitors that had "fallen off the truck". And they were only $100! This guy has really shown Best Buy that it's possible to sell a $1,000 monitor for $100, cover all distribution costs, and still make a profit.

"They may start wondering if the recording industry really deserves to be getting 90/track for music that was recorded decades ago by people who are now dead, of if they deserve a 900% profit margin."

It is not mathematically possible to have a profit margin of more than 100%. ITYM "900% markup." But is your issue that record companies charge the same price for music by dead people as they do by people who have not yet shed this mortal coil? If so, do you only pirate music by dead people? A related question: Magnatune allows you to download a CD's worth of music for as low as $5. That's still several X the price of music on the Russian sites. Do you think that this makes Magnatune greedy? At least the traditional record companies will front the artists the production money; Magnatune does no such thing. Do you think they deserve to charge so much?

Smart people -- on both sides of the piracy debate -- know that the record industry is hugely competitive and highly speculative, and that the reality is that net profit margins are actually quite low. With the exception of the big media conglomerates that happen to have recording company arms (and you shouldn't be buying music from them anyway), it's exceedlingly rare to find a record company in the Fortune 500, and the reality is that most record companies are like Magnatune -- they have very small staffs and everybody is generally over-worked and under-paid. This is why there's an inherent issue with flying the "the record companies are greedy" flag when making the choice to pirate or use the Russian sites. At the least, there's the karma issue: it's easy for us to declare that somebody is greedy or makes too much money by some arbitrarily standard when considering whether we're going to violate their rights. But no matter how much money we make, somebody with less money than us just might make that same arbitrary decision about us.

Doubtful

[rkhalloran]

Somehow I think this is a little too low-level to come up at a summit like this.

But I'm sure it makes great press for the British recording association to push at their membership to show why they're paying them dues...

Copyright Holders

[gid13]

Yes, this is why our leaders have summit meetings these days. To protect the interests of the rich bastards that finance their campaigns. Somebody hurry up and get a Pirate Party up and running. Oh right, there's no such thing as proportional representation in most places. Wonderful.

Re:Copyright Holders

[gid13]

1. I'm in a band. I don't bitch about people sharing my music.
2. Most "big" bands also don't bitch about people sharing their music.
3. I don't bitch about wanting those peoples efforts for less money, most recorded music is shit, and I either buy or download the rest depending on various factors.
4. I don't bitch about outsourcing either.

Re:Copyright Holders

[gid13]

"There is nothing inherently wrong with being rich."
Actually, distribution of wealth is a major problem. An even bigger problem is the fact that money apparently buys the rich the ability to push a political agenda that will make them more money and worsen the already problematic distribution of wealth.

The Music industry needs to get some perspective

[LiquidCoooled]

The G8 summit is gathering of the worlds most powerful leaders to discuss important topics.

From the agenda page:


This year, we plan to urge our partners to redouble efforts to ensure global energy security. We believe that today, it is crucial to find a solution to a problem which directly influences the social and economic development of all countries, without exception.

I am convinced that our efforts towards attaining this goal should be comprehensive and must stimulate stabilization of the global energy markets, development of innovation technologies, use of renewable energy sources and protection of the environment. We believe that today, we must think very seriously about ways to bridge the gap between energy-sufficient and energy-lacking countries.

The spread of all kinds of epidemics in the world emphasizes the need to step up the fight against infectious diseases. We are convinced that the creation of a global system to monitor dangerous diseases, the development of regular interaction between experts from different states, and broader exchange of research information about dangerous viruses will have a major positive influence on the solution of these serious problems.

In addition to the current agenda, we also plan to raise the issue of education in the G8. In our opinion, the time has come to focus on ways to improve the quality and effectiveness of national education systems and professional training. We must find tools for encouraging the international business community to increase investment into this sector.

Other major international issues we will concentrate on during Russia's Presidency are counterterrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the settlement of regional conflicts, the development of the global economy, finance and trade, as well as protection of the environment.

This is about saving lives and fixing major things wrong with the world and should not be bothering about some fucking music website.

Who cares about poverty in Africa?

[T_ConX]

Recording Executives ^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H Artists are being robbed by blood thursty pirates!

bigger issues

[pintomp3]

forget about the thousands dying in the middle east or the north korean bombs. mp3s, now that is issue that must be dealt with forthwith. my neighbors dog keeps barking all night too, maybe that can tackle that one too.

They have no shame.

[SatanicPuppy]

Come on, if they had some shame, they'd couldn't live with themselves. Their whole business model is basically to leech as much cash as they can off the works of people who are more creative than they could dream of being, and if this involves exploiting those same people and removing their rights to their own creations, they have no problems with that. They'd screw their grandmothers for an extra nickle.

As far as they're concerned this is one of the most important things in the world...someone is impinging on their leeching! Their blind, rapacious greed is the overriding impulse in their miserable lives.

Nothing would suprise me, coming from them. I literally can't imagine a depth that they wouldn't sink to, given the opportunity.

Re:They have no shame.

[dlim]

By "They", do you mean the RIAA/BPI or allofmp3.com?

Re:They have no shame.

[mOdQuArK!]

allofmp3.com is at least providing a service that people are willing to pay for.

The RIAA & its ilk have to use the power of the government to _force_ people to pay them.

Any true capitalist would know that this is not a viable free-market business model.

All this Hypocrisy

[Anonymous Coward]

When eastern Europe, India and China provide replaceable bodies for cheap labor, big business is first in line to hail globalization and boost their profits.

But when the same countries come up with innovative ideas and start beating the same business giants at their own game, they suddenly scream bloody murder and plea to their governments for protection from "unfair" competition.

Sweet!

[Luscious868]

We've potentially got World War III brewing in the Middle East but let's go ahead and spend some time discussing allofmp3.com. Jesus H. Christ on a bicycle the world has it's priorities screwed up.

Am I the only one...

[sootman]

...who reads that as "British Pornographic Institute" every time I see an article about them? Say what you will about the RIAA, at least their name is clearer. Damn anachronistic Brits. Who the hell says "phonograph" any more? :-)

Re:Am I the only one...

[Trailer Trash]

Who the hell says "phonograph" any more? :-)

Apparently the same people who are scared to death of the internet.

Re:Global economy/government?

[fish_in_the_c]

Not like we haven't done it before.

As I recall there was a Russian programmer arrested in the united states from violating the DMCA when he was in RUSSIA under the direction of his employer for the actual purpose of COMPLYING with RUSSIAN law.
( although I suppose arguably he was arrested for telling people about it on U.S. soil)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dmitry_Sklyarov

If I'm not mistaken we also went into a small country called Panama and arrested it's dictator( read the guy who made the laws in that country and couldn't be accused of breaking his own laws) for trafficking Drugs in the country HE ran. We then took said president, ran him through a trial for crimes he DID NOT COMMIT ON US SOIL OR US JERISTICTION and he is now permanently in Jail for drug trafficking.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manuel_Noriega

Ever heard of the Roosevelt corollary to the Monroe doctrine.
The U.S. has been disrespecting autonomy of other nations for years.

Pay no attention to world hunger

[MECC]

Or AIDS, flu pandemic, nuclear proliferation, or climate change. Just give us other people's money for free.

Greedy shitheads.

Re:G8? Saving lives?

[arivanov]

Not all G8 countries are behind agricultural subsidies.

You have a whole spectrum of opinions on this. You start with France which is furthermost on the "pro subsidy" and "screw the africans, oh god they will flood us". On the other side you have UK and Germany which would like to see the subsidies abolished because they do not produce a lot, but provide Uncle Jacque with financial means for screwing the aftricans via their contributions to EU Common Agricultural Policy. Then you have the Russians, Canadians and the Americans which would like to see these abolished for a completely different reason. They think that they can outcompete everybody else on sheer scale and industrial methods in the absence of subsidies.

So on, so fourth. G8 is definitely not uniform on this. If it was it would have reached to an agreement on agricultural issues very long ago. That is not the case. They are on the agenda every time. Both in G8 and in the EU budget hearings.

Anyway, if you have objections to this, France is the right country to bitch about. They are clearly the worst as far as subsidies are concerned.

Re:Global economy/government?

[rts008]

I read you loud and clear, as I headed a Secial Forces team in that Panama f*skup.

I'm just getting fed-up with our (USA) gov't. upholding big business at the detriment of individuals, and wondering where to apply the oath I took (and seriously took to heart-I cnsider myself a patriot) to defend the USA Constition against enemies foriegn and DOMESTIC.
It has become really stressful for me at a personal level. I can't decide where to draw the line, but am afraid that my indecision is already PAST the line. I just don't know anymore, and this dismays me.

To me, it seems a fine line between protecting your country's existance and keeping same nose out of other country's existance, I am afraid we are rushing across that fine line with a veangeance at the behest of some of our powerful corp.'s/lobbyists...and that disgusts and angers me.

I dunno, something has to give, I'm just afraid of just what gives anymore.

Re:Global economy/government?

[delirium of disorder]

You might be interested in Smedley Butler, if you haven't already learned about the most decorated marine in history. He understood the interested behind US foreign intervention.

I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested.

He spoke to the U.S. Congress in 1934 to reveal and thwart a fascist takeover of the government that had been plotted by wealthy industrialists. I wish a heroes from the military would have the courage today to stop the neo-conservative fascist (backed by wealthy industrialists) takeover of the US government.