With the launch of the group Digital Freedom, the copyright wars have finally become partisan.
This is an important, albeit risky milestone. Until now both political parties had been united against Internet issues. Democrats heard Hollywood first, Republicans heard their bosses on Wall Street first. The interests of Internet users, or small Internet businesses, were not heard.
Look at the sponsors and you see this is a Democratic affair. The best clue to this is the participation of the New America Foundation. They want to the the Heritage Foundation of the next generation.
Can they succeed? That will be a two-part invention.
- Stop groups like the PFF from making things worse.
- Work through the political process to make something better.
The chances are improved by the fact that no one — not even me — wants to get rid of copyright. We’re really looking to restore the balance which existed before the DMCA, and which the original sponsors of that act claimed they were going to maintain.
Restore fair use. Eliminate content’s veto over all technology. Expand the commons. Focus on the Constitutional goal of the copyright act — to create more.
The biggest problem with getting copyright reform has been the lack of
a business case. Open source is making that case. The second step is
applying mass pressure for change. This has now begun. The third step
will be negotiating solutions from within the regulatorium — only
after the Copyright Fascists realize they can’t steamroller us will
that happen.
So welcome to Step Two. It’s going to be a long struggle, but all this is possible. Join the fight.
The following editorial from the SF Examiner compliments this posting:
Digital Technology can Help Music
John Colleton, The Examiner
Dec 21, 2006
SAN FRANCISCO – As the front man for a rock band, I just don’t get why I should have to worry about Congress making my job harder. But I do worry, because now — in addition to having concerns with booking gigs, cutting demos and touring incessantly — I have the government, prodded by the big record labels, trying to limit the ways my music can be heard.
Let me explain. Because my band isn’t well-known, we rely on creative and innovative ways to get people to listen to our sound. Affordable, off-the-shelf recording equipment gives us the ability to create and mix our own tracks without having to schedule expensive studio time at professional facilities.
But more important, the Internet has given us a unique opportunity to reach out to an infinite number of potential fans and labels. Web sites such as MySpace and YouTube give us the chance to upload our music and even videos. Every day, tens of thousands of people go to these sites and others like them, looking for the next hot band.
Internet word-of-mouth and viral marketing have the ability to drive new fans to a group’s Web site where songs can be legally downloaded and CDs purchased directly. For bands such as mine that are starting out and trying to rise above the fray, this is the only way to grow a fan base quickly and even make a living.
We don’t even need a contract with a major recording label. Sounds great, right? But these new digital possibilities are also the root of the problem, because major record labels feel threatened by them. So they’re trying to get their friends in Congress to limit and restrict these new technologies.
The labels like the way things have always been, where only a small fraction of the very talented groups performing professionally ever get a recording deal and access to a broad audience. Even though this model limits the variety of music and art that can be out there, the record labels want to keep it this way, because they make a killing on theses contracts. The independent music model, using new digital technologies, doesn’t compute with their antiquated business model.
But what they don’t understand is that their business can only flourish with our success. The greater variety of up-and-coming artists there are out there, the more they benefit from helping them get to the next level. For example, in the 1980s the only way many artists could be heard was to record mix tapes and distribute them to friends. Many artists in hip-hop made a name for themselves before they were even signed through their success on the street.
The labels should recognize that we’re at a similar point in music history. Digital technology can help their businesses — not hurt them.
Satellite radio is a great example of how new technologies have opened people — and even business — to more possibility and opportunity. Subscribe, and listen commercial-free to hundreds of bands, DJs and others that would otherwise never be heard from. Just because it’s not played by your favorite FM station or on MTV, doesn’t mean that there isn’t talent out there worth hearing. The best part is satellite radio lets us test our sound on air virtually free of charge.
This is a stark contrast to the large majority of those bands that are lucky enough to land a recording contract, yet are paid a modest advance against sales, and never actually sell enough CDs to recoup the label’s investment. These groups often quickly fade from sight. New technologies offer hope and huge opportunity for new artists.
I hope a label picks us up and signs us to a deal. I hope we get booked on more and more tours across the country. I hope we make a name for ourselves and our music is heard by our fans everywhere. I worry, though, that our dreams will never be realized because along with the financial burdens of starting up a band, we’re fighting a lobbying campaign from the record labels.
Artistic freedom is at risk and it needs to be protected.
Johnnie Colleton is a singer, guitarist and songwriter for the San Francisco-based band The Bonedrivers and member of the Digital Freedom Campaign.
The following editorial from the SF Examiner compliments this posting:
Digital Technology can Help Music
John Colleton, The Examiner
Dec 21, 2006
SAN FRANCISCO – As the front man for a rock band, I just don’t get why I should have to worry about Congress making my job harder. But I do worry, because now — in addition to having concerns with booking gigs, cutting demos and touring incessantly — I have the government, prodded by the big record labels, trying to limit the ways my music can be heard.
Let me explain. Because my band isn’t well-known, we rely on creative and innovative ways to get people to listen to our sound. Affordable, off-the-shelf recording equipment gives us the ability to create and mix our own tracks without having to schedule expensive studio time at professional facilities.
But more important, the Internet has given us a unique opportunity to reach out to an infinite number of potential fans and labels. Web sites such as MySpace and YouTube give us the chance to upload our music and even videos. Every day, tens of thousands of people go to these sites and others like them, looking for the next hot band.
Internet word-of-mouth and viral marketing have the ability to drive new fans to a group’s Web site where songs can be legally downloaded and CDs purchased directly. For bands such as mine that are starting out and trying to rise above the fray, this is the only way to grow a fan base quickly and even make a living.
We don’t even need a contract with a major recording label. Sounds great, right? But these new digital possibilities are also the root of the problem, because major record labels feel threatened by them. So they’re trying to get their friends in Congress to limit and restrict these new technologies.
The labels like the way things have always been, where only a small fraction of the very talented groups performing professionally ever get a recording deal and access to a broad audience. Even though this model limits the variety of music and art that can be out there, the record labels want to keep it this way, because they make a killing on theses contracts. The independent music model, using new digital technologies, doesn’t compute with their antiquated business model.
But what they don’t understand is that their business can only flourish with our success. The greater variety of up-and-coming artists there are out there, the more they benefit from helping them get to the next level. For example, in the 1980s the only way many artists could be heard was to record mix tapes and distribute them to friends. Many artists in hip-hop made a name for themselves before they were even signed through their success on the street.
The labels should recognize that we’re at a similar point in music history. Digital technology can help their businesses — not hurt them.
Satellite radio is a great example of how new technologies have opened people — and even business — to more possibility and opportunity. Subscribe, and listen commercial-free to hundreds of bands, DJs and others that would otherwise never be heard from. Just because it’s not played by your favorite FM station or on MTV, doesn’t mean that there isn’t talent out there worth hearing. The best part is satellite radio lets us test our sound on air virtually free of charge.
This is a stark contrast to the large majority of those bands that are lucky enough to land a recording contract, yet are paid a modest advance against sales, and never actually sell enough CDs to recoup the label’s investment. These groups often quickly fade from sight. New technologies offer hope and huge opportunity for new artists.
I hope a label picks us up and signs us to a deal. I hope we get booked on more and more tours across the country. I hope we make a name for ourselves and our music is heard by our fans everywhere. I worry, though, that our dreams will never be realized because along with the financial burdens of starting up a band, we’re fighting a lobbying campaign from the record labels.
Artistic freedom is at risk and it needs to be protected.
Johnnie Colleton is a singer, guitarist and songwriter for the San Francisco-based band The Bonedrivers and member of the Digital Freedom Campaign.