THE CARPET IS frayed in the hallways of many of the major music labels and suits occupy corridors where music was once made, according to Adam Curry, ex-MTC VJ and now world-class podcaster. It's no different in Ireland where Ian Kehoe says "Ireland's top four record companies will appear in the High Court on Tuesday seeking the names of more than 50 people who they claim are illegally uploading (sic) thousands of songs from the internet."
Dick Doyle, director general of IRMA, leads the charge, using unseemly technology (in the opinion of the Dutch courts).
While you have to question the wisdom of IRMA suing its customers, no one denies that populating your audio collection with tracks you didn't purchase is wrong. But the campaign waged by IRMA uses tactics that deserve a withering review by mainstream media because the music industry's attempt to blame file sharing for the decline in total sales misses the fact that the industry is well out of touch with the way young adults want to purchase and consume music. The music industry has
criminalised my behaviour because I back up my CDs onto my iPod, my media hard drive and my silver platter archive. Like millions of Irish citizens, I refuse to pay a second, third, and fourth fee when I play music I bought in a format different from that sold in the shops.
Technology has changed the way we relate to our environment--it has shifted how I use music. Those who wrote and play the music that fills my world deserve my respect. IRMA does not. It would make much more sense for IRMA to lead the way in making music more accessible instead of trying to criminalise those who want to enjoy it.
Note to IRMA: roll back the sanctions in Irish law that penalise those who rip their tracks to MP3 players. Show you're in touch with those who pay to play music. Don't go looking for stupid people
who you discover are downloading tracks over tired file-sharing networks.
Ian Kehoe -- "Record companies take Eircom, BT to court" in The Sunday Business Post, January 22, 2006.
Bonus Link: The Podsafe Music Network
