Editorial: Why we love Google and hate the RIAA

[Lincoln]

Read Short-Media's latest article, Why we love Google and hate the RIAA (http://www.short-media.com/review.php?r=327), just published on the front page.
This love and hate is not irrational. Though it may not be clearly articulated on message boards and forums across the 'net, there is a very simple equation between the business models of these two companies and the public's perception of them. Google trades you innocuous ads for free stuff. The RIAA must vigilantly protect the property it sells from thieves, and sometimes grandma gets caught in the fray.
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[lemonlime]

Great read, Matt :thumbsup:

[GHoosdum]

Ha! Great photo. ;)

[Leonardo]

Why do we love Google? It raised our expectations. Why do we hate the RIAA? It's stuck. Your summary and thesis statements are right on the mark. I think we all believe music and film producers and distributors have every right to make a profit, but it is repugnant to most of us that they wish to force an outdated template on everyone simply because they lack the creativity to move on to a more advanced business model.

Keebs, I thought your editorial was fair and unbiased.

[Enverex]

One thing I don't agree with is this statement.

"See! Google gave me this awesome mapping program for FREE, and you won't even let me have five minutes of Aerosmith. Why don't you do like Google and put ads in, uh... hmm..."

Artists need to put more effort into things. Tours, "gigs", give people more reason to actually pay for something. As it stand these days, artists write 'a' song (normally crap) and then get pissy when they don't become millionaires from it.

[Leonardo]

artists write 'a' song (normally crap) and then get pissy when they don't become millionaires from it ;D As I have little knowledge of popular musicians these days, I'll take your word for it. I think that's pretty funny the way you've put it.

It is my impression though, that the recording industry per se (film and audio), and perhaps not the majority of the entertainers want to keep content flowing through the traditional, major production companies. They seem not to be able handle any kind of competition, legal or otherwise. Or am I just ignorant in this arena?