Sunday, January 15, 2006

Stoddard Online

Stoddard Online We are bombarded daily with the moans and groans from the entertainment industry with their claims of lost profits. If we are to believe the industry, these losses are as a result of what they class as illegal downloading of product from the internet.

In my view, when I purchase an item, it becomes my property, pure and simple, to do with as I choose, and when I choose. I may elect to purchase a particular tune. Problem is, I am forced to purchase a dozen other duds, as there is no mechanism in place to purchase single tunes. In their wisdom, the recording industry is forcing the sale of unwanted material. As a result, people are rebelling, and thus downloading sites are becoming common place on the internet where patrons can download their desired choices, and at the same time, offer their own music library in return.

The recording industry must be prepared to shoulder some of the blame, as afterall, it was largely through their greed, that these sites started to appear.

If I choose for example to purchase a new Ford car, of course, Ford Motor Company will and should make a profit on my purchase. If I choose to sell the car the next day, or for that matter, give it away, Ford is no longer in the picture. It is mine to do with as I choose. I see no difference in the rules, whether it is an automobile or a CD. I did not rent it, I bought it. If the recording artist finds a problem with that, then take up the problem with the recording company, not with the consumer.

The film industry is up in arms as profits from the box offices are down. People are just not going to the theatres as much they say. They are right, people are not going. One reason is because so much of the product out there is just short of primitive crap. Greedy film executives are so anxious to cash in on the lucrative DVD business, that new films are being released to the market on DVD almost before release to the theatres. Only a stupid person would contemplate paying perhaps fifteen dollars to see a movie in the theatre, when they know it will be for sale in the stores in a few short weeks for maybe thirty dollars, and can be watched an unlimited amount for no extra charge. As a result, movie downloading from the internet is becoming a popular activity in the same way as music.

No matter how you slice the pie, there are only so many dollars to go around, so all you entertainment executives take heed. Your moans and groans are becoming more entertaining than some of the crap that you are putting out there for product, but then as someone once said, "there is a sucker born every day."

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I couldn't agree with you more and I work in a radio station. Does not do anything to preserve my job but I do understand the frustrations of the consumer. This is the only way that some artists get heard as many stations do not do a good job of air play with newcomers especially.

A late night DJ
Toronto

Anonymous said...

My wife and I are older people and we like of course music from our younger years. went in a music store recently and the young man was rude to us.He laughed and said they do not stock much old country music from the 1950 era and that we should get to know the newer stuff. As yos said we will choose what we want,we are paying for it. My neighbors son fixed the problem as our music is on the internet.We like the things you have to say so keep the pressure on. we need people who can speak up

Bob and Kay Francis
Edmonton