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

[Craig Sanders]

On Sat, Jun 06, 2009 at 09:53:19AM +1000, Stilgherrian wrote:
> Kevin Kelly has posited the concept of "1000 True Fans".
> http://stilgherrian.com/internet/1000_true_fans/ The people who "love
> your stuff" and will spent $100 a year to buy each tune, get the
> t-shirt and the poster, get the special DVD boxed set. A thousand
> fans paying $100 a year is $100k gross income, enough to live on. And
> social media technologies let yu stay in touch with those fans rather
> efficiently.

which is, of course, the entire reason for the recording industry's
rabid reaction to the emerging internet-based business models.

there is no need, and therefore no place, for such parasites.

they're not fighting to "save music" or to "ensure artists get paid".
they're fighting to preserve their undeserved place in the distribution
chain, to maintain their control, and to keep their 90+% cut of the
take.  They're fighting to keep musicians as their chattel slaves.



IMO, and AFAICT, it's not the downloaders who have stolen from the
artists - i've seen far too many instances of people discovering bands
and *buying* their music *because* they discovered it via some p2p
network. it's the recording industry that is stealing from artists,
and has been doing so from its inception.


and, of course, there's lots that people download but don't buy. but
that's no different to hearing a song on the radio and not liking it
enough to buy it, or listening to a record in a shop and then deciding
not to buy it. it doesn't actually cost the artists *anything*, the only
effect it has is that it presents an opportunity for the music to sell
itself...but that's all it is, just an opportunity. if the music isn't
good enough or doesn't match the listener's tastes or moods then it
still won't sell.

some might say that listeners should buy it first if they want to try
it.  IMO, consumers have a right to more than just a lucky dip when they
purchase a recording.


craig

-- 
craig sanders <cas at taz.net.au>