money-wide >>> marcel deveraux

the RIAA Tramples Fans
For the past several years the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has been waging a battle against those who swap songs via the net. As they sue (and threaten to sue) more and more fans, one clear point emerges: Fans don't agree on the value of music.

CNET reports: RIAA sued under gang laws
"A New Jersey woman, one of the hundreds of people accused of copyright infringement by the Recording Industry Association of America, has countersued the big record labels, charging them with extortion and violations of the federal antiracketeering act", reports CNET's John Borland.

Amazing stuff; We now compare music makers with the Corleones, Tony Soprano and Al Capone.

I think the recording folks are missing something important. They've pushed the issue way too far, and the result will be a continued downturn for the business. For an industry so focused on "image" and pr, the RIAA is has only served its labels by alienating themselves from an entire generation.

To be fair, yes, I agree that copyrights are important, and artists' deserved to be paid for their work. The problem is that they are fighting the invisible hand of the marketplace; Supply, demand, the value of goods and services. And raising prices, (or suing college kids) isn't going to win back their market share or increase the value of their product.

What we're witnessing, many of us first hand, is a shift in an industry. The rise of the net enables hundreds of artists to now get their music out to the world. Some of my favorite new music comes from garage bands that let me download their mp3's at no charge. That, my friend, builds market. I'm happy to send these guys $5 for a cd. I'm supporting them and glad I can, not the gargantuan apparatus we call the music industry.

And still they battle their buyers at each and every front, not just the ones we can see. Attacking Napster, Kazaa, and their kind, strong arming distribution channels only reveals the nature of the people and companies involved… and drives customers away. The file sharing revolution is a reaction to years of overpricing.

Apple's iTunes is a great new alternative, and others are following suit, but it still bases an assumption on value issues. It will be interesting to see how they do.

Bottom line: Artists, we love you. But you need to do one thing -- unplug the RIAA. Yup, dismantle it, stop contributing to it. By letting RIAA live, you make a fan into a customer. And customers are fickle. Will monopoly-wielding groups dominate our future, or will the internet liberate society, only time will tell.

For me though, if I gotta have that new Christina Aguilera cd… well it's on eBay for $2.25, hurry only 38 minutes left.

Send your comments to Marcel!