Old dude

Pic By Boney Starks

Further indication that the change is gone come sooner than later.

A Reuters article this morning reports that British-based music company EMI “wants to cut its funding to the industry’s trade bodies… which could deal a blow to the fight against music piracy.” Trade groups are the entities that “represent music companies and the fight against illegal piracy.” Between the four major label groups: EMI, Warner Music Group Corp. (NYSE: WMG), Universal Music Group, and Sony BMG; the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry told Reuters that over $130 million each year goes to funding companies like it and the Recording Industry Association of America.

With roughly $25 million contribution dollars lost, that would leave the other big boys to come up with a few mil apiece to help tote the note to support the RIAA’s witchhunts. In a time when the industry is trying to cut their losses, chances are the holiday parties and Christmas bonuses might be a little shabby this year for employees as a result of such a move. And for artists, that might mean no more $70 wooden flash drives coming with your album packaging.

The bigger part may have been these particular lines…

“One label may not be able to change how piracy is tackled, but the current DRM-free approach coupled with new resources to market those products might make a difference.”

Could this mean iTunes-type restrictions on music that you purchase, therefore you might be apt to purchase more digital files knowing you can do whatever you want with them? Perhaps, we’ll see more creative marketing tactics a la Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, Saul Williams, etc. Perhaps, we might see even more tactics like our “Proof Of Purchase” giveaway to inspire fans to determine & show whose music they feel is worthy of their hard earned dollars.

Related Articles

“EMI wants to cut funding to trade groups like the RIAA” (Bloggingstocks.com)

“EMI threat to music trade bodies” (FT.com)

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