Archiving to MP3... 128k or 192k ?

[James]

Leggo,

I'm considering going the podcast route rather than live365 because some pending US legislation may make things tougher for internet radio. This country drives me crazy sometimes--like when I'm awake, for example.

I was thinking of keeping to the internet radio style limits, no more than three tunes an hour from the same artist or album, that kind of thing. If the legal climate changes, I'll just stop posting the podcasts.

The other advantage for me is that it's easier to find time to put together an hour-long podcast every week or two than fill a radio stream enough to keep it interesting.

[leggo rocker]

The legal climate in the UK is gaining fast on the US.

I have a friend who was recently succesfully sued by a man who broke his arm - while breaking into his premises to rob and steal!

But what are the legal issues looming with Internet Radio you mention?

[James]

They're talking about tightening the DMCA rules--the ones behind the three artists/albums in an hour rules--and raising the royalty fees.

This would make it harder still to put together a meaningful set-list, and I doubt live365 is going to absorb higher royalty fees without raising their rates to make up.

Since live365 is based in the US, this will affect everyone that uses their services, regardless of where they live.

On the podcast side, they're talking about requiring copy-control. My take there is that only "official" sites will be allowed to distribute podcasts. The big labels are pushing for this as an "anti-piracy" measure.

The entertainment-industrial complex has a lot of pull with Congress. Babylon!

[leggo rocker]

In the 70s they used to put a skull and cross bones insignia on records. The 'skull' was a cassette tape. Underneath was the slogan:

"Home taping Is Killing Music"

The skull and crossbow is of course the sign of a pirate.

Many years later, music shows no sign of being dead.

Now, the same Bentley driving, cigar smoking, coke snorting music execs are bleating on about how MP3 sharing is killing music.

I choose to give that claim no more credence than I gave their home taping blabber.

People who share music do so generally for two reasons:

1. They WON'T buy it. Ever. Period.

2. They will buy it, after they've 'taste and try, before they buy'.

Stopping the sharing of music won't effeect the first group. But it may well lesson the second group's appetite for musical purchases.

So as usual, this sharing scarem thing is ill-considered at best.

Given the music industry's lamentable performance when it comes to tracking down artists to pay them royalties owed (they were recently rapped over the knuckles for lack of true efort here) it seems hypocrisy that they should be shouting 'Pirate' and taking legal action against kids sharing a few tunes.

I have no love or respect for these people, and I have yet to meet a musician who does.

Unfortunately, as James points out, it isn't what is really right that is important in Babylon, it's who is in charge of saying what is right, and having them as your 'friends' that is matters.

[James]

As I'm reading Leggo's post the song "Babylon Makes the Rules" (Steel Pulse) is playing here.

It's true.

I remember the no taping thing--this is no different. Problem is that the record/movie companies donate big $$$ to political campaigns. The rest is payoff.

[leggo rocker]

How is it that society doesn't see these 'donations' for what they really are:

Bribary for political favour.

[James]

I just ran across this:

http://www.kurthanson.com/archive/news/ ... ndex.shtml

Seems like a pretty accurate summary of what the forces of Babylon have in mind for internet radio.

[leggo rocker]

Thanks James. These guys just don't get it do they? Can't they see the value of free advertising? I guess greed causes commercial and moral blindness.

And if I pay them to play reggae tracks that have long been deleted, probably have little or no copyright connection, especially not back to these guys, who is geting all this cash? Certainly not those who did the creative process in the first place!

Looks like it is the time for the return of the so popular radio format of the 70s.

PIRATE RADIO!

Suits me, my great great (add lots of greats) Grandaddy was a Spanish Pirate (a true!)

Come sail on the good ship Leggo Rockers Hi Fi!

[James]

Here's another piece of the rip-off: The punk band I used to play in signed with a small label associated with BMI and ASCAP, two of the agencies responsible for collecting royalty money from organizations like live365. Signed, sealed, and delivered--all legal and above-board.

We have never seen a single payment for the CDs sold by our label. If we received what we were owed, it wouldn't amount to much, but the point is that we're but one out of who knows how many bands getting stiffed. If you add all that up, it's no longer a trivial amount.

After the royalty rates go up, bands will still be getting stiffed. That money is going somewhere...

"Babylon makes the rules, and my people suffer."

Never forget that for every ten little bands no one ever heard of, there's someone whose albums you own--legal and above-board--who's getting stiffed in just the same way.

I don't have an answer--just want folks to know what vexation the entertainment-industrial complex is up to.

[leggo rocker]

As I said, I can't remember where I rad it, but the music industry got rapped for not trying hard enough to trace copyright owners to pay them their dues. And here they are (James' example) not even paying dues to those they don't even need to hunt down.

Then they have the cheek to point the finger at a file sharing kiddie and shout 'Pirate'.

I sincerely hope the Internet DOES destroy their Babylon Kingdom.