Sunday, July 25, 2004

RIAA Continues Distributing Dud CDs to Satisfy Settlement cosyne writes "Part of the music industry's recent price fixing settlement involves giving free CDs to public libraries. Although they are technically complying with the the letter of the law, they're abusing the spirit by giving the libraries large piles of crud. According to the Stevens Point Journal, '[the] Milwaukee Public Library received 1,235 copies of Whitney Houston's 1991 recording of "The Star-Spangled Banner," 188 copies of Michael Bolton's "Timeless," 375 of "Entertainment Weekly: The Greatest Hits 1971," and 104 copies of Will Smith's "Willennium."' The recording industry obviously wouldn't want to have libraries loaning out music that people might otherwise buy." See also a related story about shipments to another state. [Slashdot] That's low. I would have used this as an opportunity to create some goodwill for record companies by supplying Libraries with some great music. Some jazz, classical, folk, you know, stuff people don't hear on the radio much and might discover at the library and then go out and buy. Why would anybody go to a library to hear pop... Maybe the library in question can hold a contest - create a sculpture with 1,235 Whitney Houston CDs for the front lawn...   12:43:00 PM

© Copyright 2004 Ottmar Liebert. Last update: 7/29/04; 9:49:04 AM.