RIAA Writes Its Own News For Local TV 282
I Don't Believe in Imaginary Property writes "Did your local news recently do a two-minute clip on music copyright infringement? If so, you can thank the RIAA. They sent out a video press release to local news stations as part of their 'holiday anti-piracy campaign.' In it, they warn people that the best way to avoid counterfeit music is to avoid 'compilation CDs that could only exist in the dreams of a music fan' and to trust their ears, because illegally copied music usually sounds 'atrocious.' Instead, they encourage watchers to buy ringtones for Christmas."
So, stop bitching (Score:5, Interesting)
Why doesn't the EFF release a press release occasionally, like this, mentioning the things being done by the [MP|RI]AA to inform the consumers about fair use, laws going into effect and how they will affect us, asking people to contact their reps, etc.?
Lets stop blocking and start punching a bit. Face it, we're geeks, are faces weren't exactly pretty to begin with, it's not like we have much to loose if we get hit there once or twice...
Sinatra? (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:So, stop bitching (Score:2, Interesting)
There's a new trend which is even worse... (Score:3, Interesting)
I don't know what the bandwidth of a GSM phone call is but the latest RIAA offerings sound like somebody being strangled in the middle of a punk-rock nightclub. It takes you a few seconds to even figure out it's supposed to be music and not your phone dying.
Re:Of course! (Score:5, Interesting)
There are a few acts out there that can make interesting albums, but when it comes to Britney Spears and that ilk, they simply don't have the talent to do it, and the album really is a few hits surrounded by a bunch of garbage. Because the single was all but killed by the end of the 1980s, this is the only music distribution they have.
That is until the Internet, but because the record companies so thoroughly have fucked that up, they're now stuck with an overpriced format that's largely unlistenable junk, and have declared such a tremendous war on consumers that the obvious route of again going back in time to selling singles is a door they simply refuse to open.
They are unimaginative dinosaurs, a pack of accountants and lawyers (whatever happened to the old A&R guys and producers who actually had some independence). These guys don't understand music, to them an album should function like any economic widget, and they have so muddied the water with people who have no business even being in a studio that now people are increasingly unwilling to pay their artificially high CD prices and want the few actually good songs the industry really produces.
I think the most telling thing isn't the complaints of younger artists, but of older artists who have been in the business for decades now. Paul McCartney, who has probably made more money for EMI through the Beatles and his solo work, than most of these crap bands they have now, thinks that the company is old and staid.
Unfortunately governments, rather than recognizing that no amount of legislation can ever keep an out-moded business model alive, have been bought by RIAA and its various international act-alikes, and thus rather than politicians saying "Look, solve your own problem." are allowing the record industry to drive further down the road of absolute extinction.
Why they're doing this: (Score:4, Interesting)
They really, badly need to get back to their core business. It's evolved a bit, but they still have a chance to figure it out before all their artists flip them the bird and go completely independent.
This is the Internet. You have one shot to become the middleman, before someone like Google or Amazon takes that role from you.
Re:So, stop bitching (Score:3, Interesting)
Another point to consider is that a LOT of music out there is dreck (RIAA sponsored or otherwise). I've seen/played with some very shitty bands (even my own has been crap on occasion...hard to find good AND dedicated musicians, and I can't do everything by myself on stage). I mean, you make affordable digital cameras with decent onboard editing software (or Photoshop on the computer) and everyone thinks they're Ansel Adams...but there are indeed a few unknown wonders out there. Same goes for music and music production software. Diamond in the rough, etc.
But I agree with GP, as I find that bands who are really into the music and performing it are a lot more entertaining. I've also seen bands that don't seem to give a shit. But when you do it because you want to, I think you tend to produce fewer "filler"/crap tracks. The same might be true for some contracted bands, but then again, they have contracts to fulfill and truly awesome music can't always be created under a deadline.
Faux news (Score:3, Interesting)
Sadly this is getting all too common. Energy companies pay PR firms to make feature spots panning ethanol production, ethanol producers countering with feature spots of their own, the Bush administration making fake news stories in support of No Child Left Behind and the Iraq war, the military does it, pharmaceuticals, Microsoft PR is quite active in print media and tech publications, the Men's Warehouse is famously behind the yearly "suits are back" media blitz every year...it's quite the trend in PR. No surprise RIAA would want to get in on the act. But, like everything else they do, they do it badly.
Perhaps if they laid off the cocaine the world might make more sense.
Heh, heh, heh (Score:3, Interesting)