Folks, instead of hitting the "submit" button, sometimes it is a lot quicker (and better) to alert our readers to important news and other items by sticking a quick link to whatever it is you found right here in this "news" thread.

To post hypertext links to articles/items, you can use the following method:

1. Copy and paste (or type) the following string:

Headline[">http://link">Headline[ /url]

2. Remove the two blank spaces.

3. Trade "http://link" with the actual url address of the page you wish to appear when the link is clicked.

4. Trade "Headline" with the news article's headline or your own descriptive text.

EXAMPLE:

[url= http://dmusic.com]Dmusic[ /url]

...remove the 2 spaces and it becomes:

[url=http://dmusic.com]Dmusic

===============

If you point your cursor at the "news" button, then do a "mouse-over" (awaiting the drop-down menu to provide you the "submit" option and all... THEN bother to type in or C&P your submission correctly in the proper format...
...Sheesh, after all that, your submission STILL has to await the "approval process" (meaning that I, or one of the fine Dmusic admin have to be online and alert enough to check the article input box, THEN decide where it needs filed, proof-read, etc... )

If you have an article/story/item that needs our attention, why not simply put a quick link to it here "In The News" instead! (We will go to the "front-pages" with anything we find here that needs to be posted with a thread of it's own anyways.)
Save some time and hassle. Use that "submit" button only for ORIGINAL articles that you wrote yourself.

Remember, all we need here is a quick link to the source article and perhaps the title and/or a BRIEF description. When posting, please don't bother to copy and paste the entire article. (We kinda want to keep things brief and easy to read here "In The News"!)

Previous edition of "In The News":

http://www.boycott-riaa.com/article/18947

I don't see how the RIAA has the moral authority to make demands on any other country when they themselves are continually under investigation.

RIAA Turns Up Heat on IP Piracy in Russia

One reason the RIAA is pushing so hard "fight piracy" in Russia is because of the Russian website AllOfMP3.com. This site shows how it's possible to make money by giving consumers what they want - A wide selection of non-DRM'd music at a very low price. The RIAA could be doing the very same thing and benefiting from the internet revolution instead of clinging to an outmoded sales model and killing their industry.

This case is getting the word out there like nobodys business..it's great!

Mom Fights Recording Industry

Santangelo and former attorney Ray Beckerman spoke with The Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith about the ordeal.

There is a video here on this...

"This case is getting the word out there like nobodys business..it's great!"

With the CBS spin in the second half of the article...

"Kerry Sherman is president of the Recording Industry Association of America, which filed the lawsuit.

Do blanket lawsuits like this one seem fair? Is it the right way to go after the problem of illegal file sharing?

"Well, it's a way that is actually proven very effective," he said. "I understand Ms. Santangelo looks at this from her unique perspective as a defendant. She has to understand that there are tens of thousands of other people who are engaging in this activity, and they are decimating the music industry collectively. Half the songwriters in Nashville don't have their jobs from just five years ago. Their royalties are down. Artists can't get signed to label rosters anymore."

What about the argument of going after the supplier as opposed to the user, especially if the user might be a 7-year-old child?

"All that we know when we bring a lawsuit is the address of the computer. And, later on, we find out who owns that computer and who may have engaged in the behavior," Sherman said. "All that we know about Mrs. Santangelo's computer is that it was the source of a great deal of illegal music. She's saying that she didn't do it, but she isn't telling us who did. We need to find that out in order to be fair and reasonable and find the appropriate defendant."

"Is illegal downloading of music still an ongoing problem?" Smith asked. "I thought a lot of these sites were shut down and most people were using, are you know, systems where you actually pay your money and subscribe and pull it down off the Internet."

"The good news is — and it's largely because of this enforcement campaign — that users of peer-to-peer services have gotten the message that it's illegal and a lot of them have migrated over to iTunes, Rhapsody, the new Napster and Wal-Mart," Sherman said. "There's an array online. These lawsuits are designed to tell people, educate them that this activity is illegal, you can be identified and there are consequences when caught." "

Ms. Santangelo has also been on CNN. Carey Sherman stated point blank that uploading is also illegal.

I don't think Miles O'Brien did Sherman any favors, he kept cutting him off! Sherman also stated he didn't want to appear on the show with her, as such..think he's scared of her?

Still think most people will side with this mild mannered single mom...

"All that we know about Mrs. Santangelo's computer is that it was the source of a great deal of illegal music."

Illegal music... hmmm. I hope there's a list some place because I wouldn't want to be on stage somewhere and accidentally play a tune that has been criminalized.

"She's saying that she didn't do it, but she isn't telling us who did. We need to find that out in order to be fair and reasonable and find the appropriate defendant."

Unable to identify an appropriate defendant, fair and reasonable are seemingly irrelevant.

Patricia Santangele dose the morning talk shows. Beckerman's sites has the videos.

http://recordingindustryvspeople.blogspot.com/

"Well, it's a way that is actually proven very effective,"

In what universe Cary? P2P usage is up across the board.

At this moment :

2.2M users on KLite
24.9M users on eMule

"All that we know about Mrs. Santangelo's computer is that it was the source of a great deal of illegal music."

You know, and can prove in court absolutely nothing about her computer.
You have an IP address and the contents of a shared folder at that IP address. And if that is all you have to support a preponderance of evidence than you are shit out of luck pal. I can name a dozen ways someones IP address can be hijacked without the knowledge of the registered owner. Perhaps you should have examined her computer when she offered it to you.
But no.
Now your greed, incompetence and extortion tactics will be part of the public court record. And if you thought sales were sluggish before just watch the backlash after this.

Cary, you by far are the most reprehensible, lying sack of shit I have ever
read about. Politicians and talk radio hosts excluded.

This statement is from the Boycott-RIAA mission statement: "Copyright reform will undoubtedly be extremely difficult to achieve due to the fact that the RIAA's entire purpose is to lobby our government to change the law in their favor."

I just read this interesting article about a very corrupt lobbyist: "Abramoff probe spells trouble for Congress -
Lobbyist was dealmaker who saw himself as power behind the scenes"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10621077/

Preliminary Settlement Filed in Sony Suit

http://www.betanews.com/article/Preliminary_Settlement_Filed_in_Sony_Suit/1135841071

Lachatte,

Great story link ...

"This could be the Enron of lobbying"

How can we ever trust Republicans, even the lying Tom DeLay was involved.

How the RIAA Litigation Process Works

From Ray Beckerman:

http://recordingindustryvspeople.blogspot.com/

I do hope that people will wake up to the lobbying scandals, but certainly the Democrats are big dippers when it comes to Hollywood and the foreign music conglomerates. The system is broken -- and the system includes both parties. They both suck at the same corporate teats.

http://www.ag-ip-news.com/GetArticle.asp?Art_ID=2506&lang=en

RIAA Lauds Senate Passage of Measure to Stop Russian IP Theft

WASHINGTON, DC - [Last week, the US Senate passed a very important resolution stressing that the Russian Federation must provide effective protection of intellectual property rights or risk not being accepted into the World Trade Organization (WTO) and losing its eligibility to participate in the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program.

The same resolution, which the US House of Representatives passed on November 16, 2005, is intended to help ensure that the Russian Federation adopts and enforces aggressive laws, policies and practices against intellectual property piracy. In response, the Recording Industry Association of America issued the following statement from Chairman and CEO Mitch Bainwol.]

“With the passage of this resolution in the Senate, the entire US Congress has made clear that the Russian government must significantly step up the fight against piracy as a condition for both its acceptance into the WTO and for receiving preferential trade benefits from the United States.

“The US-Russia relationship must be built upon a mutual understanding of shared obligations and the application of the rule of law. The effective protection of American intellectual property has been sorely lacking in Russia. This resolution is significant because it expresses the will of the US Congress that Russia must take effective action against those who would steal America’s knowledge-intensive intellectual property-based goods and services. We must not enter into political arrangements with countries ill-prepared to adequately protect our greatest economic assets.

“We are especially grateful for the leadership and steadfast commitment to the protection of intellectual property demonstrated by Senators Lugar, Biden, Hatch, Leahy, Grassley and Baucus on this issue of critical importance to our industry. We look forward to working with the US and Russian governments in the coming weeks and months to achieve the progress that is so desperately needed.”

The Recording Industry Association of America is the trade group that represents the US recording industry. Its mission is to foster a business and legal climate that supports and promotes its members’ creative and financial vitality.

http://p2pnet.net/story/7438

iTunes sales booming: report

More PR fluff?

Australia might legalize recording of television shows for personal use

After France, it looks like Australia would become the next nation aiming to make lives of regular citizens easier going against the television and media companies. France government is trying to legalize p2p file sharing if the web users are ready to pay a fix monthly royalty charge for doing so. Australian government is also planning something in the same direction and plans to make it legal for the people to record television program for personal use.

The Federal Government is planning to overturn a ban which limits such activities which has somewhat made most of their population criminals in the eye of the law. Attorney-General Philip Ruddock has supported the cause and plans to add fair-use loopholes that will clear the way for private citizens to copy the content without breaking the law.

However, it is not clear if the government would help the industry by levying some kind of a tax on devices, which can be used to make copies of digital content like blank CDs and DVDs. As per current laws in the country, it is illegal for example to convert the songs on an audio CD to play them on portable music players like the Apple iPod. In fact, taping a program coming on television is also illegal as per the laws in Australia.

Mr Ruddock said in a statement that their should be a compromise which helps both the industry and the common man. He added: “We should have copyright laws that are more targeted at the real problem. We should not treat everyday Australians who want to use technology to enjoy copyright material they have obtained legally as infringers where this does not cause harm to our copyright industries.”

As if the nitwits at Song don't have enough problems as of late....Look who is getting all urban (and of course breaking the law and saving big bucks on advertising.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051229/ap_on_hi_te/graffiti_ads_6;_ylt=AnDsIMF6Zj40Bbjkqc9HT01saMYA;_ylu=X3oDMTA5bGVna3NhBHNlYwNzc3JlbA--

Good Job Sony we're all proud.

Here's a bunch of links from Ray Beckerman: (long url's... copy and paste the whole link in your browser to make them work properly!)

...I may remember to come "fix" them to clickables later, but am very busy trying to play "catch-up" on all the Boycott-Riaa admin stuff at the moment.

(sheesh, spend a couple of days doin' the X-mas thingy with my famb dambly and I get burried under a TON of stuff here! lol.)
==================

The Nelsons Sue RIAA Attorneys in Michigan case, Motown v. Nelson
http://recordingindustryvspeople.blogspot.com/2005/12/nelsons-sue-riaa-attorneys-in-michigan.html

How the RIAA Litigation Process Works
http://recordingindustryvspeople.blogspot.com/2005/12/how-riaa-litigation-process-works.html

Directory of Lawyers Defending RIAA Lawsuits
http://recordingindustryvspeople.blogspot.com/2005/12/directory-of-lawyers-defending-riaa.html

Transcript of Patricia Santangelo and Cary Sherman December 27th
Appearance on CNN's "American Morning" with Miles O'Brien
http://recordingindustryvspeople.blogspot.com/2005/12/transcript-of-patricia-santangelo-and.html

Hearing Set for January 5th in RIAA case against 14-year old: Priority
Records v. Brittany Chan
http://recordingindustryvspeople.blogspot.com/2005/12/hearing-set-for-january-5th-in-riaa.html

Programmer Challenges RIAA "Investigation" in Court Papers Filed Dec.
28th to Vacate "Ex Parte" Order
http://recordingindustryvspeople.blogspot.com/2005/12/programmer-challenges-riaa.html

Best regards,
Ray
http://recordingindustryvspeople.blogspot.com

Yuck, that's SICK!
(But, thanks for alerting us Gadfly.)

Folks, just click the blue links rather than doing a C&P of the text for the Ray Beckerman links above. (Unless you remove the spaces)

Sony to settle with free music downloads..what a hardship for them....

Sony to settle copy-protection suits

Mike!

Check out this story. I have to read the whole thing, but I found the link on slashdot.

A countersuit says a lawyer for the RIAA bullied a 15 yr old into comitting perjury in order to win a case.

Gotta do some more digging, see if you can read it. I don't wanna get too hopeful, it might just be nothing.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20051230-5871.html

Sorry, Mike, I see you already put the Beckerman link to the story on a previous post. It was new to me, anyway.

What does anybody think about that story? It's the Nelson case.

I was about to post a link to the perjury story - I suggest that this gets looked into further as well.

I would figure that the average settlement with the Riaa is on the average 10-20% of the average income of the victoms. Sony should be treated the same way, say 15% of Sony's gross for 2005. This way Sony could fell the pain also.

good point

Happy 2006 everyone !

(Except RIAA that is)

Trade your CD's for an iPod.

http://www.millenniummusic.com/trades.html

Just be sure to rip them first.

(Just over $2 per CD seems like a lousy deal)

Hey Coldplay, screw you.

http://itch.in/journal/bad-bad-coldplay

"Purchasers of the XCP discs are eligible for $7.50 cash and one free album download"
So I only get half of my money back and I get to dl low quality DRM? What a deal.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/12/31/riaa_2005_piracy/

Music sales slide despite RIAA's crushing blows against piracy

~~Music sales slide despite RIAA's crushing blows against piracy~~

Maybe this is the year that they'll finally accept that it's not the so called "piracy" that's their problem, that perhaps it's just their really bad music people have stopped buying...

Web Sites Established to Help Fund Patricia Santangelo Defense

We have been advised by Jon Newton of P2PNet.net that two web sites have been established for making contributions via PayPal to Patricia Santangelo, to assist in her legal defense:

fightgoliath.com and
fightgoliath.org

From

http://recordingindustryvspeople.blogspot.com/

Donated , felt good, about as good as it would feel to punch cary sherman in the mouth.

The collection total so far is $173. This is a golden opportunity to take a shot at the RIAA directly. this lady is on the front line fighting the fight for all of us. Do not wait for the day they come for you, then it's to late.

I just read a succinct description of the RIAA posted in a chat room on another website that I wanted to share:

"...the RIAA is a proxy for collusion that would be illegal if done without the cover of it being a 'licensing organization'."

How true.

http://www.slyck.com/news.php?story=1045

Nelsons vs. The RIAA

Meet the Nelsons. They're a lot like any other American family. They have a nice middle-class house, decent jobs and a young daughter. But unlike most American families, the Nelsons are taking the offensive against the multi-billion dollar music industry.

Their legal problems began much like any other individual facing financial demands from the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America.) The RIAA contracts MediaSentry to collect IP addresses of those allegedly distributing copyrighted works on P2P networks such as FastTrack (Kazaa.) During this particular round of enforcement action, the RIAA subpoenaed 213 Charter Communications customers. The Nelsons happened to be one of the unfortunate 213.

The Nelsons received a letter on July 15, 2004, regarding the music industry's claim. They were prompted to call the music industry's "Settlement Support Group." This support group informed the Nelsons they owed the music industry several thousand dollars for the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted works.

The Nelsons immediately objected - stating they never downloaded or distributed music, never heard of Kazaa or other P2P application, nor did they own or know how to operate or run a computer.

But the Nelsons do know a thing or two about operating their in-home day care center. The in-home day care center had several employees, including 15 year old Eammtia Granado, and an office computer. The ownership or usage of the computer is unclear.

In any case, the music industry filed a lawsuit against the Nelsons when they refused to settle. During the initial deposition on April 7, 2005, Granado testified that she had seen Mr. and Mrs. Nelson use Kazaa to listen to music. This was contradictory to several additional witnesses who on June 20th, 2005, stated they never saw the Nelsons use Kazaa or distribute music.

On that June day Granado wanted to testify once again, seeking to clarify several points she felt were not presented accurately. In her second version of events, she contradicted her first testimony by saying she never saw the Nelsons use Kazaa or distributing music online. Reacting to this switch in testimony, the plaintiff’s counsel argued that the defendants (Nelsons) and their counsel were guilty of witness tampering and coercion. The Nelson's and their counsel refuted, stating they only asked Granado to tell the truth.

In an attempt to sort out a web miscommunication, the court ordered another deposition of Granado on December 16, 2005. When asked why she changed her story, Granado would testify the music industry’s lawyer Matthew Krichbaum had coerced her into committing perjury, even before the first deposition. It was also testified that Mr. Krichbaum continued to contact Granado after the second deposition, in an attempt to have her go back to her original testimony, regardless of the truth – “otherwise he would lose his case.” Granado also testified that the Nelson's were not coercing or offering favors to her in any way, and they only wanted her to be truthful.

Because of the allegedly false and coerced initial testimony given by Granado, the Nelson’s lawyers are looking to have the case dismissed and attorney fees covered.

“In Motown v. Nelson, pending in federal court in Port Huron, Michigan (Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division), the defendants -- Mr. and Mrs. Nelson -- have made a motion for attorney’s fees against the RIAA attorneys, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 1927 for unreasonable and vexatious litigation and improperly interfering and/or obtaining false testimony from a prospective witness.”

The music industry doesn’t appear impressed with this revised evidence and is pursuing the Nelson’s regardless. When Plantiff’s counsel was first confronted with the revised testimony, the prospect of having the complaint dropped appeared possible based on ethics. However, the music industry demanded the continued pursuit despite the revised testimony.

“After being confronted with the falsity of Ms. Granado’s statements, Plaintiffs’ counsel refused to accept the truth and instead launched a counterattack accusing both Mr. Nelson and/or his attorney of a criminal conspiracy.”

When asked for comment on the Nelson’s motion regarding these serious charges, RIAA spokesman Joathan Lamy stated, “This claim is laughable. The vast majority of what is in this motion is inaccurate or misrepresented.”

With the music industry entrenched in their position, it doesn’t appear this potentially damaging public relations case is changing the music industry’s position. Soon enough, we'll know if there more to this story than the Nelsons and Granado are letting on, or whether the music industry will lose a significant court battle.

I was just reading some of the transcripts from the Patricia Santangelo case and found something I'd like to share. "Exhibit A" as part of the original complaint lists recordings believed to be on Patti's computer, one of them was:

BMG Music Artist: Lit Title: Happy Album Title: A Place in the Sun SR# 264-272

Using this information I tried to lookup this information at the online copyright website found at this address:

http://www.copyright.gov/records/cohm.html

or try this hyperlink if I typed things correctly:

Sound Recording Lookup


This is the result of my search for the song supposedly on Patti's computer using the number SR-264-272. It would appear the copyright holder is registering a CD as an entity and not the individual songs. If its understood the individual songs are copyrighted by this entry, wouldn't it only be in an uncompressed format, as is found on a CD?? I also noticed the Special Codes as the end of the database entry, 7/U/L. Code L says no copy was sent to the copyright deposit warehouse. If that's true, how can any copyright be proven??

Result of search follows:

Registered Works Database (Registration Number Search)
Search For:
SR-264-272 (COHM)
Title: A place in the sun / aLit.
Imprint: RCA 07863-67775-2, c1999.
Description: Compact disc.
Claimant: (c) (p) on recording & artwork; acBMG Entertainment (employer for hire)
Created: 1999
Published: 23Feb99
Registered: 22Apr99
Contents: Four.

My own worst enemy.
Dawn.
Miserable.
No big thing.
Zip-lock.
Lovely day.
Perfect one.
Quicksand.
Happy.
The best is yet to come undone.
A place in the sun.

Special Codes: 7/U/L

7 = sound recordings
U = Sound recordings without a claim in the underlying work
L = No copy sent to the copyright deposit warehouse


Special Codes Field

This field stores five different types of information. The five elements always appear in the order shown below with a slash separating each element. Extra slashes are used as placeholders for empty elements, except where empty elements are at the end of the code.

The five elements are:

1. Catalog of Copyright Entries part code
2. Retrieval code
3. Copy location code
4. Year-end count code
5. NLS/BPH code

Element 1: Catalog of Copyright Entries part code

This code describes broad categories of works. The numbers correspond to parts of the Catalog of Copyright Entries, a compilation previously published by the Library of Congress. More than one number may apply to an entry.

1 = nondramatic literary works, computer programs

2 = serials and periodicals

3 = performing arts, music, lyrics, plays, choreography

4 = motion pictures, filmstrips, commercials, newscasts

5 = visual arts (excluding maps), paintings, drawings, sculpture, technical drawings, prints, post cards, cartoons

6 = maps, atlases, globes

7 = sound recordings

8 = renewals (of all categories)

9 = mask works
Element 2: Retrieval code

This code describes the nature of the claimed material. Users of the older LOCIS system may limit completed searches based on the type of material.

A = Sound recordings and nondramatic textual works when registration covers both the recording and the underlying work

B = Nondramatic textual works, including volumes, leaflets, pamphlets, folders, sheets, nonbook textual materials, papers prepared for oral delivery

C = Computer programs, punch cards, magnetic tapes, databases, CD ROMs, floppy disks

D = Dramas (including accompanying music, if any), screenplays, operas. Since June 1983 includes choreography, pantomimes.

E = Sound recording and drama, including dramatic works with accompanying music when registration covers both the recording and the underlying work

F = Maps, atlases, globes

G = Toys, games, banks, and dolls (only for records added from Jan. 1978 through June 1983)

H = Small household items, including wallpaper, dinnerware, menus, napkins, wastebaskets, hampers, silver, stainless, lamps, ashtrays, placemats (only for records added from Jan. 1978 through June 1983)

I = Technical drawings, architectural drawings, mechanical drawings, instructional models (only for records added from Jan. 1978 through June 1983)

J = Jewelry and graphic designs for jewelry (only for records added from Jan. 1978 through June 1983)

K = Prints and pictorial illustrations, including banknotes, certificates, greeting cards, notepaper, dust jackets, postcards (only for records added from Jan. 1978 through June 1983)

L = Commercial prints and labels, including record jackets, packaging for merchandise, advertisements (only for records added from Jan. 1978 through June 1983)

M = Musical works

N = Sound recording and music when registration covers both the recording and the underlying work

P = Photographs and slides (only for records added from Jan. 1978 through June 1983)

Q = Multimedia works and kits, including handicraft and needlework kits

S = Visual arts works (except for records added from Jan. 1978 through June 1983 when this code referred only to sculpture, statues, statuettes)

*

Commercial prints and labels, including record jackets, packaging for merchandise, advertisements
*

Visual arts, sculpture, figurines, statues, statuettes
*

Toys, games, banks, and dolls
*

Small household items, including wallpaper, dinnerware, menus, napkins, wastebaskets, hampers, silver, stainless, lamps, ashtrays, placemats
*

Technical drawings, architectural drawings, mechanical drawings, instructional models
*

Jewelry and graphic designs for jewelry
*

Prints and pictorial illustrations, including banknotes, certificates, greeting cards, notepaper, dust jackets, postcards
*

Photographs and slides
*

Textiles, including lace, fabric, needlework, bedspreads, rugs, shirts, scarves, cloth napkins, graphic designs for items that will be made into textile products

T = Textiles, including lace, fabric, needlework, bedspreads, rugs, shirts, scarves, cloth napkins, graphic designs for items that will be made into textile products (only for records added from Jan. 1978 through June 1983)

U = Sound recordings without a claim in the underlying work

X = Motion picture, sound track, filmstrips; also used when the claim covers both cinematography and music or cinematography and choreography, etc.

Y = Choreography, including pantomimes (only for records added from Jan. 1978 through June 1983)

Z = Mask works (For records added during 1978 only: Filmstrips)

1 = Architectural works in which the drawings only are being claimed

3 = Architectural works in which the underlying work is being claimed
Element 3: Copy location code

This code indicates whether at least one registered deposit (in whole or in part) was routed to the copyright deposit warehouse.

If the 3rd element is blank:

For nonserial works, a blank 3rd element = code D

For serials, a blank 3rd element = code L

D = At least one copy (in whole or in part) was sent to the copyright deposit warehouse

F = Copies stored in copyright deposit warehouse for the full copyright term

L = No copy sent to the copyright deposit warehouse

M = Motion picture copies sent to the National Library of Medicine

N = Motion picture returned to the remitter under the Motion Picture Agreement; deposits returned to the remitter have a recall provision

P = Motion picture registered under the PBS agreement; deposits returned to the remitter lack a recall provision

Q = No copy received; registration cataloged from copyright application

R = Deposit received electronically in digital format

X = No deposit copy is required
Element 4: Year-end count code

This code, sometimes used from 1978-1983, identifies items in specific categories that the Copyright Office was interested in tracking on a yearly basis.

1 = Jewelry

2 = Textiles

3 = Toys, games, banks

4 = Menus, napkins, placemats

5 = Dinnerware

6 = Wallpaper

7 = Small household items

8 = Lace

9 = Miscellaneous useful articles, including bank notes and certificates
Element 5: NLS/BPH code

This code describes certain reproduction rights for the work that were granted to the Library's National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. A 1996 amendment to the Copyright Law makes this code obsolete.

A = Both braille and audio copies

B = Braille copies only

C = Audio copies only

CnJ

I still can't believe how they love to spin their lies trying to convince people of their rights, and this one, is one of the best...

Recording industry slowly winning the file-sharing war

This paragraph summed it up nicely....

~~Still, the amount of file sharing has continued to increase since the days of Napster, and that's not likely to change much, said Eric Garland, chief executive of BigChampagne LLC, which tracks activity on file-sharing networks.~~

I certainly do not condone free file sharing, but I still can't see how they call it winning the war, when it's still on the increase.

Well folks, here comes the "Enron of lobbying"

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=58784

It's not just a matter of holding elected officials accountable, if they've broken the law, they should be jailed!!! And possibly deal with a class action lawsuit in People vs. Representative To Be Named.

From the Washington Post, in a story that has nothing to do with the music business:

"For a period of time now, members of Congress will be concerned about even legitimate contact with the lobbying world."

The RIAA is a lobbying organization for the cartel.

---
CapnJack sez "It would appear the copyright holder is registering a CD as an entity and not the individual songs."

A copyright registration which begins with SR is for the Sound Recording. This is the complete CD and any other content that accompanies the commercial version (the little booklet in the CD case).

The copyright office will not allow you to use an SR form to protect the words and underlying music unless each and every song has exactly the same author(s).

The record labels do not own the songs. They own a specific recording of a song, even if it is part of a collection of songs, i.e., an album/CD.

On the particular CD you looked up, the owner is BMG Entertainment (employer for hire). Unless the recording artist (the performers) wrote the songs and/or music, they own nothing.

For instance, if you hear a Lennon/McCartney song on the radio, Ringo won't be getting paid.

Correct you are George!

An RIAA label wouldn't be able to sue someone for file-sharing a cover of one of their tunes for example, ...unless they also happened to hold the copyright on that particular recorded version of the cover.

Universal Music Gains U.S. Market Share

From Bloomberg News

Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group Corp. gained market share in the U.S. last year as their newly formed rival Sony BMG Entertainment lost ground.

Universal Music, owned by Vivendi Universal, strengthened its No. 1 position with 31.7% of total albums sold last year, compared with 29.6% in 2004, Nielsen SoundScan said. Sony BMG, a joint venture of Sony Corp. and Bertelsmann, fell to 25.1% from 28.5%. Warner Music, run by Edgar Bronfman Jr., increased its share to 15% from 14.7%.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060103-5888.html

Scare tactics indeed.

From the webpage posted by DeadMan2003, the RIAA wrote:
"Copying copyrighted motion picture and music files using unauthorized peer-to-peer services is illegal and is prosecuted by copyright owners..."

Sorry, RIAA, you're nomenclature is incorrect about peer-to-peer services being "unauthorized". Either get your adjective in the right place or don't bother putting out misinformation. It's not P2P services per se that are unauthorized; in fact, it's a viable and legal process to share files as long as there's no breach of copyright involved.
You should know better. Tch, tch!

RIAA, English 101 for you!

Good point CynicalGeezer. Its not the peer-to-peer services that are unauthorized. It's the copyrighted material that MAY be unauthorized to be on the peer-to-peer services.

Not everything shared on P2P is unauthorized by the copyright owners.

Thanks, INeedAlover!

Just to play the devil's advocate against MYSELF (how many people have you seen do that?), it would have to be:

Oh-my-gosh, CynicalGeezer, surely you must be cognizant of the tendency of the RIAA to mislead the mainstream media whenever they think they might be able to get away with it. I mean, this doesn't need to come as any kind of suprise, does it?

Well, right you are (devil's advocate self), but still . . .
it's our job to point out such crap whenever it appears.
After all, there may be newbies or others who might otherwise overlook the misinformation being promulgated by our despicable adversary (the RIAA).
So, that's the rationale for us critics doing what we need to do here.

Music biz fighting uphill battle against pirates

As I read stuff like this, I still wonder, in this day and age of relatively "free" music, how is it that the "pirates" can still create and sell their cd's, while the riaa's business is falling apart. (according to them) These are strange days.

If people can sell RIAA music and make a buck, perhaps the labels should lower their prices. Maybe they'll sell more product.

Just let the pirates run the marketing end of the RIAA

OBIT:

"Unmistakably" Lou Rawls Dies --E!

You'll never find
Another voice like mine.

(Lou Rawls could have said that.)

R.I.P., Lou.

(Gone, but not forgotten.)

I met Lou Rawls at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas when I was working on a showroom. Nice guy.

-------

It is now illegal to be an anonymous troll.

From George's link:

"Annoying someone via the Internet is now a federal crime."

"It's no joke. Last Thursday, President Bush signed into law a prohibition on posting annoying Web messages or sending annoying e-mail messages without disclosing your true identity."

"In other words, it's OK to flame someone on a mailing list or in a blog as long as you do it under your real name."

Hmm. Post an annoying message with only your anonymous username, and you could go to jail? It's a federal crime, they say?

You don't really want to hear my reaction to this law!
[sneer] My words might ANNOY someone, and then the feds will come to take me away?
[cower; cringe]

Fortune's list of the 100 best companies to work for does not contain a single record label. Imagine that.

It's vewy, vewy qwiet.

No news is good news?

No, it means that I/Me/Shmoo has only been posting on the front pages lately.

YOU guys and gals (our faithful readers/members/participants) should be the ones posting links to things you find here in these "In The News" threads more-so and instead of ME!

...grumble grumble, gripe gripe, grrr...

Ok, here's something for everyone to chew on..

Sony Music launches gay label

The recording industry is coming out of the closet.

url
Author seems to be unaware of the consumers extreme distaste with compressed music files and DRM. As well as their demand for a physical product.

For several reasons, I don't have a high regard for that website.

As you said: Compressed files, DRM, and lack of a physical product . . . big reasons to avoid most digital music downloads.
(Independent music excepted)

Off Topic:

Even if you don't like MoveOn.org please go here and help to stop this kink of shit.

http://www.civic.moveon.org/phonerecords/

Gee I wonder what the phone records of the RIAA lobbyists in Washington would reveal?

we will be saved

http://www.indiadaily.com/editorial/6167.asp

Shmoo -- I was meaning it was quiet in general as far as the overall topic was concerned. The RIAA must still be on winter break. I haven't even heard of a major label release much less heard one.

Shameless Self-promotion -- I put up about 10 new or improved (higher bit-rate) versions of unreleased songs in various stages of production by myself and/or Carl and Cara Hayden. mp3 files. Please consume.

But that's not why I came here...

Today is Friday the 13th, wherein we traditionally find out about all of the bad things that happened on the most unlucky of days, Thursday the 12th.

"Thursday the 12th"?

Slyck's got an interesting article up:

Filesharing: The Facts and the Myths

"The law is a complex subject, and the added complications of intellectual property rights and technology such as P2P conspire to make it even more difficult for anyone to know exactly where they stand. Especially given the media’s tendency to sensationalise the very limited action being taken against those few who have actually been caught filesharing."

(More at Slyck)

Video file of Sam Bulte and the other candidates are being asked to take Michael Geist's "Copyright Pledge" at last night's all-candidates meeting.

Is Sam Bulte a pure bitch or what?

Microsoft to Stop Developing Media Software --AP

Microsoft Corp. will stop developing a version of its Windows Media Player for Apple Computer Inc.'s Macs, and will instead offer free technology that lets people play Windows Media files using Apple's own software.

The company decided to stop developing the Mac version so it could focus on efforts for Vista, the new version of Microsoft's Windows operating system that is due out later this year

I can't speak for others, but there's no way I would even want a free verson of Vista.
May waste liquid fall on Microsoft!

XP is probably going to be my last OS

98 SE for me (and no further) until I get off my but and do linux.

OBIT:

Oscar Winner Shelley Winters Dies at 85 --AP

Aliitle something that was sent to me today. The topic of conversation was the current "liberties" taken by the President, but there was also a mention on a subject near and dear. A little lengthy, but a good read.

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Text_of_Gore_speech_0116.html

"It is particularly important that the freedom of the Internet be protected against either the encroachment of government or the efforts at control by large media conglomerates. The future of our democracy depends on it."

At the bottom of the article, but still a valid statement.

more riaa crap:

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20060115/2351226_F.shtml

Maybe this method will do better than the RIAA's people....

Music machine to predict tomorrow's hits

It looks like Vivendi Universal is being delisted from the NYSE.

From Forbes

Unhappy times in RIAAland.

"Vivendi Universal is being delisted from the NYSE". The RIAA-affiliated labels are just another dying industry, along with newspapers, cable, terrestrial radio, etc. The future is indie labels, satellite radio, MP3 players, Apple, Google, etc.

I've seen this movie before. "The Minority Report" I think it was.

The music industry must be in serious trouble..even Michael Jackson is getting a job...

Jackson Wants to Consult for Entertainment