[LINK] Is copyright dead? [WAS: Special Report: The Future Of File Sharing]

[Leah Manta]

At 12:56 05/06/2009, Kim Holburn wrote:
>The issue isn't about that.  Musicians have always been paid for
>performing, or not.  Many musicians are selling their music over the
>internet directly right now.  So are many writers.

Yup, I have friends around the world who struggled for years to "get 
signed" but have had little success.

In the last 5 years most have take them music online, some run around 
making video clips too.  Most ask for donations.

One of my friends in the USA has staggering donations via paypal.  He 
gets lots (in the thousands) of "10 cent" to $1 payments, but has had 
$500 from a parent purchasing a copy of a song for their child and 
one of $10,000 for "use at our wedding"

He's indicated although not "great income" it adds up to a good few 
thousands a year for a totally word and mouth artist.

A friend of mine manages a few local bands.  They were trying to sell 
CDs with limited results.  Lets say they worked out it cost more to 
make the CD, take it to fairs, boot sales etc, and try and sell it, 
than they made.

Putting their work on YouTube, with the band playing live and being 
filmed at venues, has resulted in around $10,000 a year income over 
that of the door of a live concert.  They are now looking at doing 
Internet Live Broadcast on Friday nights for people outside the "local" area.

One band has a "pay per download" per track site.  They have 
indicated tat even at 50 cents a track, the revenue is so low it's 
costing more in site fees and "cart licence" than they made in the 6 
months, whilst their sister band (mostly the same people and similar 
music) has made about $15,000 from "donations" for Internet download 
or requests for special mixes.

It is sure changing!