Auralize this...

The end of DRM as we know this...?

Good news for consumers, bad news for songwriters, publishers and royalty-earning recording artists.

DRM Under Siege: The Yahoo Music Experiment

Jessica Simpson's DRM-free single could be the beginning of the end for copy-protected digital music.  There's something noteworthy about the digital download version of "A Public Affair," the latest single from pop star Jessica Simpson.

No, it's not that the song can be personalized: Simpson and her backup singers recorded 500 first names, from Adriana to Zachary, that Yahoo Music will electronically insert at a dramatic moment in the music for $1.99 a pop.

Far more significant is another feature of the song: it is being distributed as a standard MP3 file, with no digital rights management (DRM) technology. And this comes from none other than Sony BMG, the record label that has taken the most extreme measures to keep customers from making digital copies of its songs.

Cont. at technologyreview.com

Intern needed for this...

My buddy at MTV News is looking for an intern for this fall as well as next spring.  He is looking particularly for writers, preferrably with college newspaper experience.   

His summer intern had multiple online articles published, scripted a television news piece and just spent a day unsupervised at Catalina Island with Pennywise.  This is an unpaid internship.  Applicants must be  currently enrolled in a Los Angeles area college.

If you are interested AND qualified for this internship opportunity or know someone who is, email me a resume and I will forward.  He will make direct contact if interested.

Tagged: MTV internship

Transferring the illegal responsibility to this...

My record label background and history of reprensenting songwriters and producers, has probably given me a much higher appreciation for intellectual property isses than the average music listening fan who doesn't understand the implications of stealing music.  At the very least it's self-licensed me to continually harp on known offenders, even especially when they're my friends, just ask... ah, nevermind--forgot the feds are watching.

All that being said, I simply cannot condone the belief that peer-to-peer network software companies like Grokster and Morpheus (I prefer Limewire) should be held responsible for the illegal behavior of their users!

Court rules against file-trading

That's akin to holding GM responsible for hit & run accidents, GlaxoSmithKline for drug overdoses, Ma Bell for all the drug deals made on her lines, AOL for allowing sexual predators to find victims online and Smith & Wesson for all the crimes committed with their guns (yeah they've tried that).  You get where I'm going with this...

Manufacturers cannot always guarantee that their products are going to be used in the manner prescribed by all users.  Was Rubbermaid held accountable for the assault against Abner Louima?  No.  Justin Volpe, the broomhandler who used the product in a manner not intended, is serving a 30-year sentence.

The fact that the RIAA and MPAA don't have any other viable solutions to solving their problem should not give them license to put the burden on P2Ps. They should have started paying attention all those years ago when we were having meetings about the impact of downloading to the bottom line instead of being arrogant.  Oh, they might want to consider lowering their prices, too, since it costs less than $2 to make a CD.  We've only been suggesting that for a decade.

Whether or not P2P networks should be required to give up the identities of its illegal users is something I'm still mulling over.  Sounds like an ok idea, but how to enforce without violating existing  privacy protection laws? And when does illegal behavior trump the right to privacy. 

And how on earth can justify forcing file-sharing software manufactures turning over file-sharing abusers when we can't even force local law enforcement to turn over illegal aliens in violation of federal immigration laws?!?!?!?!?

More on this...
EFF: MGM v. Grokster
Sony Corp. of America v. Universal City Studios, Inc.
Intellectual Property Cases
Intellectual Property Law Directory

Cast your vote for the best label for this...

Vote for the World’s Most Wanted Record Label!

Label Vote 2005 is the annual music industry election that determines which record label is the most (and least) popular within the artist community. 

It gives you, as an artist, the power of electing which label is your first choice when it comes to signing a record deal.

Label Vote 2005 boosts the music industry's awareness and approach towards new artists - it's your chance to let them know that you are watching and judging.  

Choose genre and label. If you do not find the label of your choice, choose ”My Own Choice” and fill in the blank. 

HitQuarters - Label Vote 2005

I won't tell ya all my choices, but I will say that J Records gets my vote in all applicable categories and I'm sure many in "the industry" will concur.  Stay tuned for results

WYMS-FM seeks this...

From my inbox:

WYMS-FM Milwaukee is a non-commercial station that will be the first of its kind...a musician-run radio station being designed from the ground up for musicians and music lovers.  Musicians Peter Buffett and Joe Puerta are among the founders and board members.  Dale Spear, most recently VP of PRI (Public Radio International), is the station General Manager.  I am the lead consultant on the project and am joined by my Media Mechanics partners Paul Marszalek and Ben Manilla. 

We are conducting a national search seeking creative, energetic on-air talent looking for something more than traditional radio opportunities. This is a chance to be in on the ground floor of a new, non-commercial music format that will become a national model. With our new format, WYMS will offer the best of what radio should be all about -- and what has been lost from much of radio today.  WYMS will have a strong community focus on Milwaukee and Wisconsin and will seek to connect with local musicians, creatives, and young professionals.

The ideal applicant should be a music lover with a creative personality who thrives in a creative environment.  Production experience is strongly desired.  We're looking for air talent and music directors with at least five years on-air experience who are truly interested in being involved in the local community...someone who is a progressive thinker; strong communicator, and a great story-teller.

Do you love radio but not what radio has become?  Are you full of great music ideas that you can't get on air? Do you want to help recreate radio's future?  If so, we want to hear from you.  If you're interested, please send materials to Dale Spear, WYMS-FM, 5225 W. Vliet St., Room 10, Milwaukee WI, 53208. Questions?  E-mail Dale Spear at dale @ wyms.org or call him at 414.331.7695. Read more about the next step in radio's evolution at www.wyms.org.