Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

Napster and Labels: The Radio Perspective

Author:Will Cate
Posted:4/21/2000; 12:45:51 PM
Topic:Napster and Labels: The Radio Perspective
Msg #:16518
Prev/Next:16516 / 16519

"Home-taping is killing music." This is what the record companies used to say 20 years ago. Well, to paraphrase Mark Twain, rumors of the music business' death have been greatly exaggerated, then and now. The existence of Napster didn't seem to hurt the opening day sales of the new 'N'SYNC album (2.6 million copies).

As a broadcaster, I can tell ya, working with record companies is not always pleasant. We have to work with them, because we want them to send us new product, but if you're a small station in an unrated market, as we are, you basically don't exist in the eyes of Warner/Arista/BMG/etc. So we love Napster. If we want some songs that have been out-of-print for years (Traveling Wilburys is a good example), we just fire up Napster and grab 'em. We pay ASCAP/BMI fees on everything we play, so in terms of the artist-revenue stream, we're in compliance.

Trading music in electronic format has been around for a while. Why hasn't the RIAA sued every ISP that runs a USENET server? Napster's just a technological improvement of something that has existed for years, and they are an easy, helpless target. If this turns out to be the catalyst that makes record companies change their business model, so be it. They've been ripping off you, the consumer, and recording artists, for years.



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