Though record companies have grudgingly begun learning how to utilize the Internet, U2 manager Paul McGuinness still thinks yelling about how Internet service providers should do more to fight piracy and give bands a bigger cut of the profits is the way to go. “Cable operators, ISPs, device manufacturers, P2P software companies–companies that have used music to drive vast revenues from broadband subscriptions and from advertising,” he told an audience in Hong Kong. “They would argue that they have been neutral bystanders to the spectacular devaluation of music. I don’t believe that is true.” He revealed the extent of his belief by comparing them to “shoplifters” and accusing them of “rigging the market.” And don’t get him started on China!
“ISPs and mobile operators are the business partners of the future for the recorded music business — but they have to share the money in a way that reflects what music is doing for their business,” he said. “That’s true nowhere more than in China. China Mobile makes hundreds of millions of dollars each year from sales of ringtones yet pays a minuscule fraction of that to performers, producers and composers.”
Yeah, why is it that bands only get a small royalty, again? What exactly is his problem with everyone but the music industry? That they’re forcing labels to sign crappy deals for ringtones? Does he still think ISPs make more money the more people take up bandwidth? If he’s so concerned about the artists caught between two industries who’d really like to keep all the money they could, wouldn’t McGuinness be better off making a deal for U2 to dance around in a Verizon ad?
But how does this fit into Bono’s Omega Code?
If someone from U2 talks, and its not Bono, does anyone listen?
Now this is interesting! Usually it’s only *Latino* managers/publicists/artists that are accused of Hector-ing.
“…the spectacular devaluation of music”
Sad, but true.
The ISPs are like the landlord of a chop shop: they know illegal activity is going on under their umbrella, but since they themselves don’t partake of it directly, they try to feign ignorance. The thing is, in the end, both have theft of property and its offshoots happenning under their watch. And since music doesn’t get recorded for free, somebody has to pay. It’s that simple.
But here’s where the RIAA screwed up: instead of going after the people doing the “sharing” directly, they should’ve pursued the ISPs, just like city governments go after bars the break their smoking bans, not the patrons that smoke. (Hate the smoking ban, though.) Get the FCC to take away their telecommunication licenses for letting piracy and theft happen through their service. To avoid fines and worse, they would’ve cut off any customer commiting piracy. Piracy would be down signigficantly, and the ISPs could be the bad guys not the music biz. But, they screwed up royally. McGuinness is just looking after his charges.
Oh, and only a crass, condescending observer of music as a disposable commodity would suggest U2 be in a Verizon ad.
@KikoJones: B-b-but what if there was a “red” wireless plan?