January 15, 2008 -
Could this be the end for the Recording Industry Association of America and its Draconian IP enforcement tactics?Hey, digital consumers can dream, can't we?
This dream, however, could become a reality. Ars Technica reports that EMI, one of four major record labels, may be dropping support of the RIAA. Ars cites a Variety article which holds that EMI will pull out of both the RIAA and the IFPI (U.K. version) by March 31st. The loss of EMI funding would be a huge blow to the RIAA.
The rub for the record label seems to be primarily philosophical. From the Ars Technica report:
EMI has been unhappy with the trade groups' work for some time... EMI, the smallest of the four major labels, was recently purchased by a private equity fund that is looking to reinvigorate the label and cut expenses.
EMI was the first of the majors to drop DRM at iTunes and Amazon, moves that have made its digital music a more attractive option. But if EMI can force a restructuring of the IFPI and RIAA, the impact could be just as significant for the industry.
Few consumers will shed a tear if the RIAA goes away. The organization has become infamous for targeting consumers with lawsuits over digital music downloads.
Comments
Anyone know if EMI has any decent music these days?
"This is not rocket science. Instead of spending all this money litigating against kids who are the people they're trying to sell things to in the first place, they have to learn how to effectively use the Internet. For the artists, my ass... I didn't ask them to protect me, and I don't want their protection."
And they do.
The RIAA has been trying to pretend that the past decade's advances in technology didn't exist. At last something substantial is being done.
From what I have read he is cutting back on the bloat that has infested the music industry. he has raised £250 million to re organise the label, with the expected loss of 2000 jobs, slimming down the number of artists on the books, and investing more in the discovery of new artists.
If the cashflow for the RIAA is severed as part of this shake up then it would seem EMI would be the first label to recognise the changing times of music distribution, and compete with piracy of material as an alternative product available to the consumer rather than a detraction from the labels 'true' alternative.
Expect the other majors to be paying very close attention to whether the strategy pays off for them or not over the next year...
Fangamer
Is the RIAA making them money? Nope, they're losing it by the bucketload, suing everyone and their dog, and spending way more than they get back through settlements. Especially now that the EFF and other groups are giving the defendants a hand in poking holes in the arguments. They're driving away customers. And they're not doing anything constructive to expand the audience or find new *reliable* avenues for profit.
EMI isn't growing a soul, they're just waking up and realizing their *money* is being spent, with no return on investment.
I've seen it happen a few times in my life, from Pop Bands to Advertising Agencies, they roll for a while on controversy, being so offensive and obnoxious that they actually get a sort of anti-fame, and fame=respect to people like this, they think the more people hear their voice, the more 'acceptable' it makes their message.
What they didn't realise was that the people they were extorting, threatening and insulting were the very customers of the people they were supposed to be supporting, EMI have now made that link, they've realised that they are spending money on an organisation that is driving people away from their media format, fixing two leaks with one move is a good business move.
Karma always catches up with these people, be they Industry Support Groups, Anti-Game lawyers or even Video Game manufacturers, ESA, take note now, while you are still moderately popular, remember you are supporting the Industry, and therefore by Proxy respecting their customer base is part of the requirement, else the same road awaits, which would actually be a pity, because it means they'd rather repeat mistakes then learn from them.
NO FREAKIN' WAY.
I...wow. No way!
*pinches self*
OW. OK, I'm not dreaming, but...
This looks like a good move for both ethics and business. The two don't always have to be opposed to each other.
so they're looking out for their best interest?
Nintendo is doing the same thing. They aren't giving everyone free game consoles, they're making a profit. that's how business works.
a GOOD business is one that listens to its customers and provides them a service in a way that benefits both the business and customer. EMI is taking steps in that direction because it makes sense to do so.
I'll take it - Granted, in a perfect world, we would have them do the right thing for the right reasons; but all things considered, it took YEARS for a major record label to even CONSIDER doing the right thing for the wrong reasons.
Regardless of motivation, I'll take it for a concession, we need one; and should they make that leap, I'm inclined to support them. Both because I believe it's the right thing for them to do, and because I damn sure want to send a message to the other companies. Now I just have to figure out if EMI has any artists I'd like to listen to. Been deliberately ignoring the major record labels for YEARS, I have no idea what's out there.
To be honest, it was the only way things could happen. There's a sort of game being played by both corporations and politicians called 'how much will the public swallow?'. EMI are simply the first organisation that's started to realise that it's no longer those 'in the know' who have had more than they can stomach, no longer are these complaints confined to the Technical 'aristocracy' who can understand the terms and methods and the dangers they represent.
I think this decision was inevitable as soon as it became apparent that the general public was starting to take a stand on it (not least due to some totally contrived and poorly thought-out lawsuits from the RIAA). When you support a company that tries to sue 6-year olds and grannies, you have to start thinking 'This simply cannot help our public image to be associated with these guys'.
Let's face it, the RIAA have, in recent years, made themselves the enemy of just about anyone who enjoys music in any form, it got to the point where they were trying to sue someone for copying music from a CD they owned to their home computer, or suing a company for putting music on over the tannoy system while working, and the public are making their feelings felt on the matter. Whilst it was all about Piracy, most people didn't mind, but instead it became about control, they got obsessed with it, and now they are paying for it.
I am personally of the opinion that the only way to save Audio sales now is to ditch the RIAA, start focussing on dealing with music piracy, rather than simply 'listening to music in the wrong way' and start looking at their extortionate pricing policies that were in place since long before digital filesharing ever existed (remember - Home Taping was 'killing Music' before CD's ever existed).
*does crackhead dance in victory.*
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_musicians_signed_to_EMI
It's not really that surprising that they're fighting so dam hard to bring it down though; They've been raking in money for decades off of the status quo completely unchallenged.
PS to those that think i think they are doing it out of the kindness of their hearts i know they are not. that said they are still getting rewarded when it happens so as to show the other big lables that dropping the RIAA is not only good for their image, and pocket book but really good for the pocket book cause when the other companys see that not only did EMI save money it got a boost to sales for dropping the RIAA whos to say the other three big lables wont want that? and drop the RIAA faster then they would otherwise
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Wait... So you are telling me that the the bane of my existence (RIAA) who basically demolished bittorrent in the US other than seeking ways to use the new tech to their advantage is taking one of the biggest kicks to the proverbial groin they can take?
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Where did I put that champaign?
Why does RIAA whine? If internet downloading didn't kill their own sales, they wouldn't be complaining. But they obviously are, because the need for CDs dwindles and that's the RIAA's lifeline. They WANT you to buy a 1000 copies of those CDs. They NEED you to buy a 1000 copies of those CDs.
Why, then, wouldn't the RIAA support legal digital downloads? The RIAA is too lazy to come up with a new business model.
There will always be people that will rip you off. Chasing them down may be possible for an organisation like the RIAA that relies on the fact they have bulk funding to underwrite their John Doe lawsuits. But by and large, draconian measures only hurt your paying customers, the people who put the "profit" in your profit/loss statement. The more you mistreat them, the more they are likely to look through the razor wire of their DRM prison to see the pirates frolicking around in green fields filled with "free" music, and realise the only thing keeping them trapped there is their choice to be a customer...
The days for requiring an agent/broker/middleman are nearing their end. We no longer need them to advertise products, viral advertising is already stronger than most free to air radio advertising ever was. Treat your customers with respect and the people that would have payed for a product if it wasn't boobytrapped will come back to you.