Comments on: Okay computers

By: Jeff Rehbach

Jeff Rehbach — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 20:51:17 +0000

Even as some musicians (popular, world, and even classical) start to release albums freely, we learn of the $220,000 fine imposed by a trial jury on someone who allegedly had 24 available for sharing (the fact that they weren’t even necessarily downloaded by anybody else was to be ignored by the judge’s instruction to the jury). The case is being appealed.

Although here at Middlebury no one has yet received a “settlement letter” from RIAA in lieu of being taken to court, it could happen (it has at more than 200 other colleges and universities). Given that Middlebury has very reasonable terms with myTracks for monthly access, and that free services are beginning to appear through other websites such as Ruckus and SpiralFrog (sure, you see advertisements while you’re downloading, but hey, that’s a small price to pay compared to a typyical $3000-5000 settlement with the RIAA that students at other colleges have paid — although some are fighting back in court).

Be an advocate – let your favorite groups know you want their music, you want them to get their fair share (the get pennies compared to the royalties the record distributors get for each iTunes download). And, let Congress hear from you — its members hear daily from the entertainment and publishing industry that the world is full of copyright pirates. Let your voice be heard that information – what we need for our studies, and what we personally choose to listen to and watch – has a legitmate place within our culture.
-Jeff Rehbach, LIS Policy Advisor

By: Cole Moore Odell

Cole Moore Odell — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 19:42:54 +0000

Meanwhile, as related in that recent NYT magazine article on Rick Rubin, the industry is trying to move people to a subscription-based, fee-for-access model at the same time they’re trying to grab a cut of revenues that have traditionally, sensibly gone to artists alone–concert ticket sales, merchandising income. Desperately defensive postures all, almost admissions that the traditional label simply isn’t needed any more, as editor, manufacturer or distributor.

I’ve seen some people complain that Radiohead wouldn’t be in a position to try this without many years of major label backing behind them, but that just sounds like fear of the new to me. As Jason says, the next, inevitable barrier is for a new band to hit big without any traditional institutional support–although given pop-cultural fragmentation, the criteria for “hitting big” will have to be rethought. (Even the labels can’t seem to create genuine, mass appeal superstars anymore, in any genre.)

Also, last I heard, the Radiohead album will be made available as a regular-priced CD at some point, giving another option to those who want something to hold in their hands, but who don’t want to shell out $80 for a hardcover book.

By: Hannah Robertson

Hannah Robertson — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 19:06:14 +0000

I know this isn’t related to your post, but I’d like to know what you think of the Cook Commons “Surrender Your Booty” party: http://middblog.blogspot.com/2007/10/fam-says-no-to-surrendering-booty.html

By: Jason Mittell

Jason Mittell — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 02:38:58 +0000

Tim – glad to see you let your fan flag fly on this blog! I agree that this Radiohead decision might be a major turning point, but we should never underestimate the stubborn inertia of a business model – the music industry still makes money, just not in the bucketloads it’s used to. And they won’t go down without a major fight.

The key breakthrough will be when an artist gains a following on Myspace, self-releases music on a variable pay model (which other artists have done before Radiohead, but nobody as high profile), and manages to both earn a living and gain enough notoriety for two old guys in Vermont to be able to blog about it.

And I paid 3 pounds for In Rainbows myself – a fair price for both artist and listener.