Is the RIAA trying to get everyone to hate it?

Redworm

Moderator
wtf

How the hell can they demand money for something that they don't own the copyright on?
Look at the information on SoundExchange.com (RIAA created SoundExchange) and see how it works. The RIAA has secured legal authority to administer a compulsory license that covers all recorded music.


"The recent U.S. Copyright Office ruling regarding webcasting designated SoundExchange to collect and distribute to all nonmembers as well as its members. The Librarian of Congress issued his decision with rates and terms to govern the compulsory license for webcasters (Internet-only radio) and simulcastors (retransmissions)." (http://soundexchange.com/faq.html#b4)
"SRCOs (sound recording copyright owners) are subject to a compulsory license for the use of their music...SoundExchange was established to administer the collection and distribution of royalties from such compulsory licenses taken by noninteractive streaming services that use satellite, cable or Internet methods of distribution."
(http://soundexchange.com/faq.html#a4)

SoundExchange (the RIAA) considers any digital performance of a song as falling under their compulsory license. If any artist records a song, SoundExchange has the right to collect royalties for its performance on Internet radio. Artists can offer to download their music for free, but they cannot offer their songs to Internet radio for free. (http://soundexchange.com/faq.html#a7)

So how it works is that SoundExchange collects money through compulsory royalties from Webcasters and holds onto the money. If a label or artist wants their share of the money, they must become a member of SoundExchange and pay a fee to collect their royalties (http://soundexchange.com/faq.html#b6). But, and this is a big "but," you only get royalties if you own the sound recording copyright. If you are signed to a major label, chances are you don’t. Even if you do own the copyright to your own recording of your own song, SoundExchange will collect Internet radio royalties for your song even if you don’t want them to do so.

oooooh yeah, because some government official is in the pocket of the RIAA and decided that its company should be the one authorized by the US government to collect royalties on MY behalf when I have no desire to ever make money off my music. I'd much rather spread the word via internet radio and have people show up at concerts but instead they're going to collect money for something I own and want to give away for free....but if I want my fair share of that money I have to pay them for the priveledge :rolleyes:


Is this mind-boggling to anyone else?
 
Sooner or later there will be someone who will challenge the constitutionality of this and they will win. All it takes is lots and lots of cash -- and I don't mean Johnny.
 
If the story is accurately portrayed then it sounds like the government is acting like the mob that it is. Out of thin air federales created a turf and then turned that turf over to a private organization to tax, monitor, and administer. It is going on all over our economy and is a small component of globalism. One more small step designed to eventually gain control over the internet. Fascist governments can not permit an unregulated channel of communication.
 
Is the RIAA trying to get everyone to hate it?

Already happened. And the other MAFIAA, the MPAA, is working hard to find out if they can catch up and be just as hated as the RIAA (pretty hot down there, isn't it Mr Valenti?)

Since the invetion of recorded music the companies that comprise the RIAA have become very rich in the process of screwing music lovers and (particularly) musicians.

But the internet allowed the music loving world to do an end-run around the tyrrany of the RIAA, and they just can't believe that they didn't see it coming. Their money train has derailed, and they'll do anything to get it back their stranglehold on all things music. Thier whole dinosaur of an industry is extinct but is so huge and deeply entrenched that the tail doesn't know that the head is already dead. Yet.

Tactics used to delay this fate include a flood of punitive lawsuits filed by the RIAA against music lovers, 12-year-olds, and little-80-year-old-ladies who never owned a computer, amounting to nothing less than litigous terrorism intended to stop file sharing. They also intend to buy as many congressmen as possible in hope of legally preventing the end of their fast-disappearing monopoly.

Redworm, are you a slashdotter?
 
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They hate Bittorrent sites like THIS ONE (TPB); but once one realizes the SHEER NUMBER of Bittorrent sites one knows they are p---ing into the wind. Most of these sites are offshore in countries which do not have laws to prevent this.

As an example, check out the responses at TPB to the cease and desist letters they receive. :eek:
 
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