“TotalMusic” would need the support of ISPs, cellphone providers and the rest of the major record labels.
There’s word of new plan being circulated at Universal Music Group to combat the detrimental effects that illegal music file-sharing has had on physical CD sales.
It’s called “TotalMusic” and would be a “comprehensive subscription plan” in which every internet and cellphone subscriber was essentially forced to participate. Think of it as mandatory Rhapsody.
It would require the consent of ISPs and cellphone providers, a prospect they’re no doubt reluctant to do if it means jacking up peoples subscription rates, and most likely Federal legislation as well.
Thankfully it’s just one of several plans that have been circulating in the halls of record labels to combat illegal file-sharing, and agreement among record labels about terms, pricing, and contract points would make its success doubtful. But, it nonetheless points to an alarming effort by record labels to make ISPs and cellphone providers content gatekeepers in which they are tasked with monitoring customers on their networks.
Wired makes two poignant arguments noting how the plan wouldn’t work. It notes:
There are two clear problems with this plan, both involving parties being forced to opt in to the system. First, it would charge all of an ISP’s subscribers for accessing the music even if they don’t want it and aren’t downloading it. Second, a forced opt-in organization like SoundExchange would have to administer the system for all artists and labels; otherwise rights holders and ISPs would need to negotiate a near infinite number of deals in order to offer the 100% catalog coverage consumers would demand for their monthly fee.
It seems kind of enticing at first, I mean depending on the price I just might be willing to opt in. But, the fact that everyone would have to pay, including non-file-shares, ruins every ounce of affinity I may have for it.
Either way, let’s just hope this plan stays in the brainstorming stage and never sees the light of day.
[via Digital Music News]
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i think that all along this has been the end solution.
it has just been a question of how long it would take and how many other paths copyright holders would take before they arrived at this inevitability.
i’m just surprised it is being talked about this soon.
this generation thinks they have rights to anything on that internet anything that can take digital form and while they are willing to pay for access to that wealth of information they do not believe that they should have to pay beyond that. That is why a system like this article suggests could work.
@Aunt Jemimayers etc. its seems like its only a matter of time b4 they do something.
Considering theres already a tax on recordable media media pla
I think that a tax COULD very well be what is in store for future legal downloads. I do not like the fact either that others that do not use file sharing would have to pay…but then again I pay a LOT of public taxes on things I NEVER USE! So what is the difference?
At least this way the stupid “sue em all” campaign could be put to a stop and maybe….just maybe…..the recording companies and consumers could live in peace again.
people have been talking about this since 2001. Didn’t happen not going to happen.
“people have been talking about this since 2001. Didn’t happen not going to happen.”
In 2001 the record companies were just gearing up with their sue em all campaign. NOW there is a legal precedant that has been ruled against the “legal boilerplate” they have used in most of their lawsuits so they are not exactly winning.
And one of the “big four”…. Universal….. was the one to suggest this….not some hole in the wall recording studio!
So YES…. IT COULD HAPPEN! Just because it hasn’t happened in the past does not mean it is not going to. I don’t know where you got that reasoning from.
the truth is as a copyright holder myself- if people share my stuff- go for it- I hope that people will support me at shows or buy merch to support my music- but if sound exchange is going to make a buck off people sharing my music then I want a cut not because I want the $ but because I don’t want someone else to make $ off of me that way. I am very liberal when it comes to my copyrights- but this comes down to “commercial use” if sound exchange is making $ off of me.
I have had this same issue with the internet radio suits as I am played on a # of internet radio stations that sound exchange is now demanding $ from- will I see any of it? I don’t think so.
Stupid fake theoretical sales #s that make up fake piracy losses are one thing but Sound Exchange essentially charging people rent to gain access to it is plain and simple…..piracy.
the truth is as a copyright holder myself- if people share my stuff- go for it- I hope that people will support me at shows or buy merch to support my music- but if sound exchange is going to make a buck off people sharing my music then I want a cut not because I want the $ but because I don’t want someone else to make $ off of me that way. I am very liberal when it comes to my copyrights- but this comes down to “commercial use” if sound exchange is making $ off of me.
I have had this same issue with the internet radio suits as I am played on a # of internet radio stations that sound exchange is now demanding $ from- will I see any of it? I don’t think so.
Stupid fake theoretical sales #s that make up fake piracy losses are one thing but Sound Exchange essentially charging people rent to gain access to it is plain and simple…..piracy.