Music biz launches offensive against digital radio

[moneoa]

WASHINGTON (Hollywood Reporter) - The recording industry, already reeling from online music theft, is pushing the federal government to head off what executives fear is a potentially bigger piracy threat in the emerging world of digital radio.

In documents and meetings at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and in communications with other industry trade groups, the Recording Industry Assn. of America (RIAA), which represents the major U.S. labels, is attempting to convince the government of the need for copyright protection for sound recordings aired on digital radio.

While the RIAA's campaign has been largely behind the scenes, the association will take a higher profile on the issue this week as its CEO and chairman, Mitch Bainwol, hopes to make it a focus of a hearing scheduled on copyright issues facing webcasters. The RIAA also plans to file formal comments with the commission on the need for digital radio copy protections when final comments on a range of issues surrounding the technology are due June 16.

"We're in favor of HD radio," Bainwol said in an interview. "It offers great benefits for consumers and everyone involved, but we're not blind to several concerns. Someone could cherry-pick songs off a broadcast and fill up a personal library and then post it on Kazaa."

Digital technology brings to radio signals quality similar to digital television. An FM digital radio broadcast brings listeners CD-quality sound, while digital AM radio sounds like FM. The digital radio stream also gives broadcasters the ability to multicast their signals or use them for data delivery and other services.

more Here on MsN

[moneoa]

Wow copyright law is getting more and more lame huh?

[moneoa]

NOBODY finds this just a little over the top?

[ThePowerToShare]

I do.


Yup, the RIAA has completely gone down the toilet now.

[MoonMan]

Yup, the RIAA has completely gone down the toilet now.

You say that as if they had a high point.

I think the "cherry picking" concern that they are talking about is just a smoke screen so they can try and control more of the industry. They must realize that, though digital radio isn't a real big piracy concern, it could potentially introduce users to music outside of the spectrum that the RIAA wishes us to be bound by. They feel threatened by a freely evolving area such as this.

[camoor]

Its getting hard to be shocked by anything the RIAA will try to pull. I mean, once you have the popularity of a used tampon, why bother pretending you care about "fair use", consumer relations, and the wonders of technological advancement.

[shawners]

shoot. ITs nothing now. In the next five years its going to be a federal crime with a penalty of 200,000 dollars and up to 5 years in jail for just sharing a Nsync song.

[Kilz]

In the history of recorded media the RIAA has been against all new things. Each and every one starting with Raido (AM). in that it would kill the sale of wax rolls and player piano sheets. SSDD

[Afn]

Originally Posted by MoonMan

You say that as if they had a high point.

I think the "cherry picking" concern that they are talking about is just a smoke screen so they can try and control more of the industry. They must realize that, though digital radio isn't a real big piracy concern, it could potentially introduce users to music outside of the spectrum that the RIAA wishes us to be bound by. They feel threatened by a freely evolving area such as this.

Yes, it is another attempt to control and shape the future of broadcasting so the RIAA and sponsoring corporations have a single universal voice to millions of consumers with no or little competition.

Play, Rip Burn will continue and only become a bigger problem as more people have access to better and higher quality technology. CD sharing will only increase as the industry looses billions of dollars as technology marches forward.

The music industry NEEDS to control the market and exclude all competitors. That is how hollywood sells millions of units every week. If it was a free and open market, it would have competition that would limit the amount of total media sales.

5 corporations selling 95% of what people see, think and hear is not good for a democracy.

[Lord_of_the_Dense]

p2pnet.net News:- "Digital audio broadcasting (DAB) represents a fundamental change for the radio industry. It is not just a means of offering higher quality broadcast sound. DAB could transform radio into a vehicle for the distribution of huge amounts of information in digital form, including recorded music."

This isn't a quote from an article in praise of digital audio. Rather, it's part of a panicky RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) tirade attacking it.

The "distribution of huge amounts of information in digital form, including recorded music"?

Read entire story here.