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Why the Recording Industry Loves Tech
From: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Fri, 16 May 2003 08:14:54 -0400
------ Forwarded Message From: Rick Dobbs <liquidblues () yahoo com> Date: Fri, 16 May 2003 01:54:43 -0700 (PDT) To: dave () farber net Subject: Why the Recording Industry Loves Tech Dave: Hillary Rosen wrote a fairly compelling article for Business 2.0. I don't agree with her that the online music shops are where they need to be, but her mission seems to be clearly stated. Let's just hope its shared by her cohorts... --- As head of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), I've been the public face for an industry that's endured significant -- some would say tumultuous -- changes during the last few years. http://www.business2.com/articles/mag/0,1640,48752,00.html the Recording Industry Loves Tech Forget what you've heard -- the RIAA believes technology holds the key to music's future. All you have to do is give that future a chance. By Hilary Rosen, May 2003 Issue As head of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), I've been the public face for an industry that's endured significant -- some would say tumultuous -- changes during the last few years. It seems widely assumed that we at the RIAA revel in our role in stamping out music pirates. True, it's a necessary part of the job, and also the right thing to do -- if you believe, as I do, that misusing someone's copyrighted property is wrong. But here's something that may surprise you: I'm every bit as passionate about music as you are. The reason we do what we do is not a love of litigation but rather a love of music. What other form of entertainment can move you the way music does? And what other form can move with you during every part of your day? Don't overlook these simple facts -- they're the reason that, contrary to the predictions of some doom-and-gloom naysayers, the record industry is poised to rebound. And what will the vehicle for this rebound be? Technology. Yes, technology. In fact, record companies and tech firms have long had a symbiotic relationship. Every new music format of the last half-century has come as the result of collaboration between our industries. And in January we announced a set of joint policy principles with two leading tech-industry groups, the Business Software Alliance and the Computer Systems Policy Project, which collectively represent virtually all the big players: Apple (AAPL), Cisco (CSCO), Dell (DELL), IBM (IBM), Intel (INTC), and Microsoft (MSFT). One of the key planks of these joint principles calls for "private and governmental enforcement against infringers." This is critical to fostering innovation -- after all, recording artists and software developers alike do what they do at least in part for financial gain. And it bears repeating that this is the view not just of the RIAA but of the technology companies as well. They support appropriate enforcement against copyright pirates every bit as much as we do. Here's something else that may surprise you though: Another important plank in this agreement is a firm commitment to opposing government-imposed technological mandates. The RIAA believes in innovation. And we believe that consumers in the marketplace, not the government, should decide which technological innovations will thrive. Indeed, the recording industry has spent hundreds of millions of dollars developing new business models to serve music consumers in exciting new ways. While everyone knows that the marketplace for digital distribution of music has been too slow to develop, it is here now. Today there are several legitimate online services, with content from every major record company, that allow consumers to stream music and listen to it through their computers or download it and burn it onto a CD. Hundreds of thousands of tracks, both new hits and catalog favorites, are now available with the click of a mouse. These sites ought to have a fair chance to compete in the marketplace. I used to say that the record business was like a soft-drink company that sold its products in nothing but 64-ounce bottles, because our product was principally the full-length album. Well, thanks to electronic distribution through multiple types of networks with varied business models, we now have the equivalent of cans and six-packs and fountain drinks. Consumers can buy digital music à la carte or sign up for subscription services offering unlimited downloads, and they can take their tunes with them wherever they go. Since portability is a compelling feature for music fans, these new ways of distributing music can bring added value to all sorts of new consumer electronics. As I prepare to leave my post this year, I'm proud that part of my legacy will be the role I played in championing new technologies. But the financial incentive required to keep music fresh and popular must be a shared commitment between the music industry and the technology community. Continued investment in and development of the legitimate online music marketplace, along with appropriate antipiracy enforcement, is the ultimate pro-technology strategy for both creators and consumers. Hilary Rosen is the chairman and CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America, based in Washington, D.C. http://www.business20.com/articles/mag/0,1640,48752,00.html. Try a Free Issue of Business 2.0: Call (800) 317-9704 ------------------------------------- You are subscribed as interesting-people () lists elistx com To manage your subscription, go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/
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- Why the Recording Industry Loves Tech Dave Farber (May 16)