NYTimes.com Article: With Cable TV at M.I.T., Who NeedsNapster?

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

From: Michael Carroll <carroll () law villanova edu>

No, the RIAA probably is not happy * although they should be.  The whole 
point of the system is to use analog technology to avoid having to pay a 
performance royalty to the sound recording copyright owner.  The 
traditional rationale that justified denying SRs a performance right was 
that radio play is free advertising so there's a net economic benefit from 
broadcasting to the SR copyright owner .  (The real reason was the 
political power of broadcasters).  In 1995, the digital performance right 
was justified on the grounds that digital technology would enable on-demand 
performances of sound recordings that would displace sales so the sound 
recording copyright owner needed direct compensation for the 
performance.  If you buy that, then you would expect the RIAA to object 
since MIT's on-demand service has the same sales-displacement 
potential.  Of course, the RIAA should be happy because the net economic 
effect is far more likely to be increased sales driven by the free advertising.

Best,
Mike 

-------------------------------------
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/