Sunday, December 9, 2007

Is the RIAA killing music?

For many decades now the public has enjoyed music of different types.  From Country, Classical, Rock, and Trance everyone has their favorite. Ever since the invention of electricity, new technologies have been developed to create better ways for the storage and transmission of music. and because of this,  we have enjoyed it on Ipod, TV, Radio, cassettes, Disk, mp3 players, live concerts, and even the home computer.
 
It's no joke when I say all over the world their are individuals out there policing the music you listen too.  It is not just whom you listen too, it's how you listen to it, where you got it from, and if you shared it deliberate, or not..  Countries like the UK are up in arms when a local charity can't play the music that the children have grown to love because the music police are on the prowl, and claim they have to pay up for the rights to play the music, or not play at all. Charity Forced to Pay Copyright Fee  The UK has been hit hard, but the USA is no better off. Bars in the USA are being hauled to Court because the RIAA claim they don't have a license to play the music.  Radios everywhere could be going silent because of fear of reprimand of the music police.  Some radio stations have switched to using bumper music, and none copyrighted music in order to be compliant, and not have to pay the hefty fees placed on them. Satellite is also being hit.  But get this! It is not just the everyday Joe, or Sally trying to fileshare that is being hauled to Court.  It is also Businesses being hauled in just for the fact that their customers can hear the little radio playing down the hall in a small office owned by the secretary. Yup you heard that right.   The RIAA's radio lawsuit  It is not just one type it is free music also that is under attack.  RIAA Sues Radio Stations For Giving Away Free Music  Then there is this: Facts about the RIAA's Digital Radio Copy Protection Proposal  So the public formed a new type of radio station... 100% RIAA free radio and 75minutes.com podcast plus  stonerrock radio   Whole Wheat Radio Could Creative Commons Radio be next? I am sure there are other RIAA Free Radio broadcast out there for you to choose from.  But to note, these are all independent artist that don't mind sharing their music with the public. 
 
Now Attorneys are fighting back against the RIAA.  See here:  Recording Industry vs The People and also States are fighting the RIAA.  The state Attorney General's office of Oregon is fighting them "It is a really huge step when the head law enforcement officer of a state wants to investigate the RIAA's evidence-gathering techniques," said Ray Beckerman, a New York-based lawyer who has been defending individuals in RIAA lawsuits." Read the whole article here: Oregon: Ground Zero in fight between RIAA, alleged music pirates?   Here is a list of Attorneys willing to go up against the RIAA: Directory of Lawyers Defending Against RIAA Lawsuits
 
 
So my take on the whole matter at hand is the public, and the States are not going to let the music die without a good fight.  Yes I do boycott anyone associated with the RIAA.  Plus their Artist.  I have not bought a CD in months now.  Plus I went one step further, and stopped going to their concerts as well.  Why? Because Artist have a choice now.  They are not dependant on the RIAA to get their music bought, or even heard.  I just hope that this whole farce does not drag on for years.  The RIAA seems to be funded well.  But there are searches online that can tell you if the music you own is RIAA funded RIAA Radar  The RIAA Radar is a tool that music consumers can use to easily and instantly distinguish whether an album was released by a member of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Plus a few have released the  RIAA Hit List located here: TECHTV VAULT: RIAA Hit List  
 
The RIAA went after the consumer for which for years was permitted to copy etc, and by law is still permitted to copy their cds.  This info is in the copyright act.  View this here: Copyright Law of the United States  You can copy a cd, but you can't share the copied cd, or any type of copy you make that is copyrighted.  I don't think music is dead as of yet.  But if the RIAA keeps up with their law suit happy war monger vendetta against the public and the Businesses around the world, they eventually wont have a public listener, or buyer.  You can't blame people for your own actions.  You do reap what you sow.  The RIAA, needs to save what little reputation they have left.  Other than to die humiliated, untrustworthy, broke, and hated by all.  "Until Now"  The whole world now wants a piece of the RIAA.  Who can blame them?