RIAA says Happy New Year, now pay us!

Our latest article is courtesy of Blue Horse art director Brad Bauter. Your opinions are welcome!

Here is a prediction for the new year. The RIAA is going to sue more people.

This morning, I read an article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel about how the RIAA wants the courts to interpret the idea that making digital music files from CDs you own illegal. We all know distributing that music to others through dubbed CDs and file sharing is illegal; but did you know that the RIAA wants people like myself to pay them for making a digital copy of CDs I own (so that I may use them with MY iPod and Roku Labs Soundbridge). I still have all of the CDs in plastic bins in my basement, but in the eyes of the RIAA, I am breaking the copyright of the CDs in my basement.

Let’s face it. File sharing of copy-written work is illegal, and should not be condoned. If you do it, stop, IT IS STEALING! Instead, buy DRM Free music from iTunes, Amazon.com and Wal-Mart (still does not work on a MAC!). In turn, I ask the RIAA to let the majority of honest consumers who payed for thier music cds to be able to digitize them so that they may use them the way they want to for themselves. CD Players will soon be dinosaurs, like the record players and 8-track tapes of yesteryears. I understand technology has opened up new opportunities for pirating music. But if you make the music, and even movies DRM free and useable over multiple platforms, people may, I venture to say, discontinue stealing music and movies. Unfortunately, the RIAA is only trying to make a new revenue model out of old technology instead of embracing the new technology and using that as a new form of revenue.

Sad to say, but my music purchases and listening have gone way down since it became harder to listen to what I want, how I want to. That is why I listen to more podcasts and only look for DRM Free music now when shopping, because those content producers are embracing the technology. Maybe the RIAA will see the light, but somehow I doubt it!