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News Archives -- 2003 BMG Takes Technical Ignorance to a New Level "...this CD will not be able to be mass copied ... it is now possible to offer consumers the level of flexibility to which they have become accustomed while beginning to better protect our artists' rights." These were the words of Thomas Hesse, BMG's 'chief strategic officer,' in conjunction with the release of BMG's first CD to the United States (via Arista Records) equipped with the new 2003 incarnation of copy-protection. True Value of a CD Not Judged in Dollars January 4, 2003 -- In 2002, the RIAA posted a study called "The Value of a CD" on their site which is, as of this writing, still posted there. I glanced through it briefly when I first saw it and quickly dismissed it as drivel. However, in light of the fact that everything else I've posted concerning the RIAA has seemed incredibly obvious to me and such a big surprise to everyone else, I am compelled to discuss this document. Building a Better Music Business -- The Foundation January 27, 2003 -- Judging from, oh, every source except the RIAA, it has become obvious that the majority consensus is that the recording industry is on a self-destructive path. Another widely held view is that they've already come to the end of the path. Henley tells Congress: "I know there's payola because I get billed for it." Jan. 30, 2003 -- At the Senate Commerce Committee Hearing on Media Concentration and Ownership in Radio, Don Henley spoke out strongly about several issues concerning the Clear Channel monopoly, the way media consolidation has harmed the music industry, tie-ins between free performances and airplay, the radio conglomerate's huge share of concert promotion revenue and the rampant practice of payola under the guise of "independent music promoters." Don't Sever a High-Tech Lifeline for Musicians By Janis Ian -- February 2 2003 The Recording Industry Assn. of America recently won a court ruling that effectively will cut off the recording artists it represents from new listeners. In RIAA vs. Verizon, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that anyone suspected of downloading so-called "infringing" files on the Internet -- usually an MP3 of a song -- could be sued. No evidence is required. An accuser fills out a form for a court clerk and the machinery is set in motion. The record companies say this decision will mean more money for musicians, but they have it backward. The downloaded music they're shutting off actually creates sales by exposing artists to new fans. If this ruling stands, many smaller musicians will be hurt financially, and many will be pushed out of the music business altogether. Consumer Declared Innocent; Radio Killed the CD Single Feb. 16, 2003 -- In February 2001, the RIAA's 2000 Yearend Market Report on U.S. Recorded Music Shipments noted that shipments of CD singles had plummeted by 38.8% in 2000, adding that "This one-year decrease in CD singles shipments is preceded by a 200% growth between 1995 and 1997 and flat growth in '98 and '99." The explanation? "The singles market plummeted because of changes in consumer purchasing habits principally brought on by new options provided by the Internet." Dear Rock Stars -- Who Will Speak the Truth? March 8, 2003 -- A few months ago, I set out on an editorial quest to make to make a difference in the way people perceive the music industry and to clear away some of the smoke and mirrors. Considering that I am one lone person with no name recognition -- not a spokesperson for a well-funded lobbying group, not a member of the press or any media organization -- the success of my effort has led me to see a completely new problem. If It's Not the Money, Then What? March 13, 2003 -- The Internet is free, no matter what anyone tells you. Oh, yeah, you might have to pay to access, but once you hit the on-ramp, it's time to go cruising. Sure would like some tunes for the road. But we don't allow no music on this here super-highway. Don't believe in that stuff. It's bad. Don't you know you're stealing from artists? Don't you know it hurts the record labels? How are the poor artists going to survive? Why would they ever bother to record a song if everyone is just going to listen to it for free? ASCAP Joins RIAA Anti-Consumer Stance March 22, 2003 -- Dear ASCAP... I am appalled to discover that ASCAP has taken the position of characterizing the audience we are trying to reach as "a very powerful majority that sees nothing wrong with using our music without paying for it." Ignorance of the Law Is No Excuse April 18, 2003 -- I'm kind of pissed off at the FBI this week. I asked them a simple yes or no question. They refused to answer it. Said they were far too busy with terrorists and Syria to deal with my problem. When I brought up the fact that they had time to arrest college students for downloading music, they hung up on me. Time Magazine Loses Journalistic Perspective In the May 5 issue of Time magazine, it become very obvious that the truth is sold to the highest bidder. Interestingly enough, Time's story indicates that the RIAA is lying again. Or their story is wrong. One or the other. Their numbers don't even come close to jiving with the RIAA's 2002 End of Year statistics. Copyright Office Fails Mission May 8, 2003 -- Of all the stupid, shortsighted responses I've received to my questions in the past month, this one is the epitome of government uselessness. If anything highlights the U.S. Copyright Office's ignorance of what is happening to copyrights and the government's inability to capture the reality of the 21st century, this is it. RIAA Sequentially Repeating Edison's Mistakes Oct. 8, 2003 -- There is something that I find incredibly mystifying about the entire chain of events from Napster to the present. This entire scenario has played out before. Which makes it all the more curious why the RIAA is following it step by step. The DMCA and SunnComm's Shift Oct. 11, 2003 -- One of the first four recipients of RIAA file-sharing lawsuits was a college student at Princeton. The student settled for about $12,000. College is an investment in the future. The RIAA made a withdrawal. RIAA's Letter to Sen. Coleman Filled With Misleading Information October 13, 2003 -- We found a copy of the full text of the RIAA's letter at Boycott-RIAA. This was written in response to Senator Coleman's request for information on how the recording industry's "sue everyone" approach intended on only targeting serious offenders. As is everything which emanates from the RIAA, this letter, which carries the signature of Cary Sherman, current figurehead of the organization, is a perfect example of how this entire anti-consumer campaign has been run ever since the Napster hearings. With lies, deception and an utter disrespect for the truth. Using Lies to Preach Morality October 13, 2003 -- In today's issue of the USA Today, a story penned by recording industry attorney Cary Sherman appears, titled, "File-sharing is illegal. Period." As with almost each and every statement that this man publicly puts out, this is a blatant lie. Period. US Press Does Best to Ignore Antitrust Suit Against RIAA October 13, 2003 -- The RIAA was warned. They continued to act like terrorists. So the Webcaster Alliance has stepped forward to do what the government should have done on its own long ago, filing a suit against the RIAA, charging two counts of violations of the Sherman Antitrust Act. Music Terrorists: "We Don't Care" About Public October 17, 2003 -- While this was no surprise to us, it was nice to see a little honesty for a change, as the music industry points out that a) they know they missed the boat; b) they'll do anything to get control again; and c) they really don't give a flying fork what their customers think. Forget "the customer is always right." Such an outdated concept. "Sue 'em all, and sue 'em often" has apparently become the new business model. Goucher Event Very Educational December 6, 2003 -- If Mitch Glazier is going to be the RIAA's new representative on the education front, they've got bigger problems than peer-to-peer. Public, Artists Winning P2P War December 6, 2003 -- Looking back at the state of things a year ago and the state of things today, it's easy to see that, despite the lawsuit plague, the consumer and the artists stand a much better chance of being declared the ultimate winners of the "music wars" than the RIAA. Don't misunderstand this as a premature declaration of victory. But the tide has turned and the independent artist community, as well as the consumers, have the tactical advantage. RIAA Charges "Border on Silly" Dec 18. 2003 -- The recording industry's effort to curtail online piracy was dealt a significant blow today when a federal appeals court ruled that Internet service providers cannot be compelled to disclose the identities of customers suspected of illegally sharing copyrighted songs. The court said that Verizon cannot be held responsible for material that passes through its Internet network. The RIAA's argument that ISPs could be subpoenaed because of the material its customers transmit on the Internet "borders on the silly," Judge Douglas H. Ginsburg wrote. The World's Oldest Whine Dec. 21, 2003 -- Every year at this time, writers across the world are putting together a "year in review." That's where I intended to go with this article, but then I found out too much information. So instead of talking about the past year, let's look at a quick history of the beginning of the recording industry. After all, if you've been paying attention at all, you know what happened this year -- threats, lawsuits, claims of piracy and admonitions that music can not be distributed for free.