RIAA in deep trouble
p2pnet news view | RIAA News:- Things may be far worse for Vivendi Universal, EMI, Warner Music and Sony BMG’s universally despised RIAA than we’d hoped for (sorry, expected).
Yesterday, “Thirty or so RIAA staffers have been, or are to be, fired, we said, quoting Digital Music News.
Now, p2pnet reader fern bar points to a Hypebot post which says a “seemingly knowledgeable but unconfirmed source tells Hypebot that the cuts run much deeper than previously reported,” going on »»»
“It is about 90-100+ people across the US and global offices – anti-piracy, coordinated IFPI/BPI etc – trust me it’s a bloodbath…
(Major label heads) Hands, Morris are squeezing the ____ out of these guys after the ISP failure and a major budget cut. (The) RIAA as you know it is probably history by Tuesday of next week, a formal announcement is being drafted for drop next week.
The new group is a aggregate of IFPI + remaining pieces of BPI + RIAA – (a) new leaner, coordinated group…DC offices are getting closed except for one part of one floor on Conn. Ave., just for the address.”
Rumours that Cary Sherman and Mitch Bainwol wil be joining friends and colleagues at the US Department of Injustice have not been confirmed.
Inevitable self-generated collapse of the corporate music industry
A little more than a year ago, “The RIAA may be merging with the IFPI,” said p2pnet, adding »»»
And No, this isn’t a p2pnet spoof similar to the one in 2004 where we head the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) merging with the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America).
In November last year, “The inevitable self-generated collapse of the corporate music industry as it exists today has been presaged by startling news from a member of the Big 4 organized music cartel,” said p2pnet, going on:
“EMI, these days under the control of private equity group Terra Firma, was the first to abandon DRM.
“It now looks as if it may also be the first to opt out of subsidising Big 4 organised music hit squads such as the RIAA and IFPI (International Federation of Phonographic Industry).”
Now, “In a move designed to get major music trade organizations to reorganize, EMI has made the first step to exit the British trade group IFPI,” says Variety.
Not only but also, “Top operating executives at the four major labels are in talks, seeking changes in the structure and priorities of major trade orgs, including the Recording Industry Assn. of America,” it says, going on:
“The idea of merging the IFPI and RIAA has been broached as well.”
EMI later changed its mind, but …
Stay tuned.
Digital Music News – Layoffs Confirmed at RIAA, Estimates Approach 30, February 26, 2009
Hypebot – RIAA Staff Cuts May Be Far Deeper Than Reported, February 27, 2009
p2pnet spoof – RIAA, MPAA merger plans, November 11, 2004
opt out of subsidising – Is EMI dropping the RIAA?, November 28, 2007
Variety – EMI to exit IFPI, January 9, 2008
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February 27th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Don’t this just give you a warm and cuddly feel all over that even part of it has hit the drain? Keep up the boycott. It’s getting results! Now for the bigger parts of the pie, like the major labels themselves that started all this mess.
February 27th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
This brings much joy. I won’t buy anymore music from the Big 4.
February 27th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
what this really means is ..”we need a new way to screw them and hide all the evidence like media sentry and such”
Don’t be fooled they are reorganizing to be a more secretative bunch and one that’s more focused on results as in ENDING internet access , why not works for them don’t it.
No more downloads then how do they claim its piracy.
They are hearing that phrase “Economic Terrorist” and they can’t fight that, because its true.
WHY do you pay Arnold 20 million per film?
Does he need that much do we need ot pay that much.
Like hockey players they need to really adjust to the times, and oh ya aren’t they all for the environment.
Obama’s green plans are moot for all of California’s excesses.
February 27th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
We should adopt the same tactics that they do, infiltrate their organizations and take them down from within, all the while the people of the world file class action lawsuits for being misled with false advertising, “what do you mean this is the album of the year? i bought it and its a pile of crap, now i want my money back AND compensation for damages that i suffered while listening to this album”
February 27th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
Finally, some good news for P2P and technology enthusiasts and some of the most inane posters come out of the woodwork. If there is less money going around, there can be less lobbying. Less lobbying means fairer and more balanced legislation that “might” just favour the consumer.
I knew some good must come from this economic armageddon that is hitting the world.
February 27th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
I don’t buy music usually because I prefer other sources, but I listen to what I like, RIAA or not.
February 27th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
” I don’t buy music usually because I prefer other sources, ”
Yes Yes we all know, you prefer to ‘rent’ music from that service you
have a stake in.
After all, no one tells YOU what to do
February 27th, 2009 at 11:27 pm
If true then the bitch is almost dead, made my day to see this story!!
While i feel bad about people out of work….not sure i care about these
Copyfight!
stw
February 28th, 2009 at 12:43 am
Call the RIAA Settlement Center, (the number is 913-234-8195). Ask for Morgan Swartzlander, “Lead Settlement Representative”. Maybe she can fill you in on the extent of the implosion.
February 28th, 2009 at 1:48 am
You know, people been telling these yoyos that suing your customers isn’t exactly a smart thing to do. It’s not conducive to keeping repeat business happening when you tee off the very ones you depend on for your income. Of course I am sure we will once again hear the moan and groan of it’s all the pirates fault.
Doesn’t it just give your heart a little joyful flutter to hear such good news for those that do deserve it?
What’s so sad about all this, is it never had to be this way. But the majors know greed and nothing else. Could have been that they granted license to Napster back in the day. Just think how much income they would have made today had they, even charging just 5¢ a download would have brought them a fortune they don’t have today. During that time, P2P groups would have given their left nut to have been legally licensed to continue what they were doing. But the majors just couldn’t see any other way than being an a$$hole about things. Well, that part hasn’t changed today. What has changed is the world around them. They have woken up to the idea that money just isn’t flowing in like it used to.
They have managed to alienate the very people they depend on for their livelihood. There is no longer the interest there was back in the heyday with music. People don’t hear new music all the time any more through the commercial outlets. Instead they hear the same old pap gone through for the umpteenth time for the day on an hourly basis. The music is now bland. The artists no longer connect to their audience like they used to. Was a time when you felt a connection to the artist through what they were trying to say. It meant something to you.
All that is dead now. People no longer line up in front of record stores for block length lines to obtain that newest release and for the ability to say they had it first. Music is no longer worth the money when it goes through the corporate channels to reach them at the high prices for the little that is on a new album. Its so bad they can’t hardly sell albums anymore. They’ve filled the album with filler until finding an album with three good songs on it is a challenge to do. Who wants that?
I can remember the time of concept albums when there was a theme running through the album that tied all the songs together into a complete work. There was experimentation, there was a fresh look to each new album. It wasn’t more of the same. Artists don’t seem to be growing any more. It’s like they lack the originality that was there during the heydays. Covers are a big thing now. What that tells me is that they don’t have the spark to drive that originality and are depending on the fame of recognition to drive the sale, not the skill of something new standing on it’s own to make it’s own way.
With this lack, are others that were cut in the effort to funnel more money into the pockets of the majors. Things like the large artwork. I can’t tell you how many times I stood in front of mind boggling artwork and that alone convinced me to try something new. I somehow just can’t connect with it on the small digital artwork. Go ahead and dig out the magnifying glass and maybe you can see up close what they have in the image.
Artists are no longer groomed to be acts that will last. All that got dropped. With that dropping came the lack of care about artists and part of the reason why they have no long term life on the hit list.
But hey, this is great news to hear there are major layoffs with the RIAA. Now for the rest of them to crater if they can’t sit down and figure out what the customer has been telling them with their wallets.
February 28th, 2009 at 10:08 am
Just shed a tear. Put it in a box. Conserved and sealed it. Poor, poor RIAA. RIPeaces…
February 28th, 2009 at 10:19 am
Bloody spelling. Meant RIPieces. I’m not smarter than a 5th grader!
February 28th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Good lord, though, with those two asshats at the department of justice … that would make even the Gonzalez DOJ years look good. WTF they doing possibly going to DOJ?
February 28th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
“We should adopt the same tactics that they do, infiltrate their organizations and take them down from within”
(We are already doning this. But Shutttt!)
February 28th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
The RIAA is dead, Now the majors!
Bring your pest killer!
February 28th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
The war is in good shape but it is not over.
CONTINUE THE BOYCOTT!
Nobody settle with these parasites, nobody buy CD or DVD or go to the theater.
No money should go to these criminals.
And prepare to raid the properties of the executive parasites. We need the money to compensate the victim.
February 28th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
“all the while the people of the world file class action lawsuits for being misled with false advertising,”
In the US we can also all sue them at the small claim court for the max allowed. if 10 of thousand of people do this it will cost them a fortune just to send someone.
If they don’t show up they lose the case and have to pay and this will cost even more!
February 28th, 2009 at 7:01 pm
some more good news
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/02/28/ctv-losses.html#socialcomments
seems the conservative money base is drying up slowly, and they aren’t going to have a media empire to support there garbage much longer. The recession will pull them apart and with corporations not able to give more then 1000$ that is a great feeling.
February 28th, 2009 at 7:05 pm
here’s an idea about that lawsuit reader suggests, we start some fund somewhere and every month every pirate puts a dollar in it, and then in 6 months we start our own campaign of terror, LEGAL terror back on these [giants, drag them individually one by one into court and refuse class action status and ask for a jury 100%.
Continuing on thta theme, buy up ads in papers and use those printers and make flyers about the dead people they sued, the laid up in hospital woman htey sued, and so on.
PUSH BACK AND HURT THEM, a bad economy means they don’t have the money any more to FIGHT back.
NOW is the time.
Perhaps we could trust Michael Geist with such a fund?
February 28th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
Just get those hackers to either put that dollar in Ray’s expert witness fund, or have the
guts to volunteer as an expert witness in a case in their area.
Better to help fund the cases already being fought, so that just MAYBE one
will OPENLY come to a precedent setting judgement against the RIAA members.
We don’t have their resources, it makes more sense to focus what little we have in
a more concentrated area.
February 28th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
PH and in the great depression MOST of the movie houses aka like the big 4 went out of business. This is great , i almost want it to get worse…..
March 1st, 2009 at 4:42 am
This is to be expected as it’s not financially feasible. What is practical and profitable is creating deals with ISPs to police users, higher user rates, overcharging for above caped usage, spying on users and creating legal suits to pay for damages and non payment of inflated bills. In the subtle scheme of things this reflects on users full account information of the person. Subsequently people may find they are unable to get loans, do commerce, or even travel abroad till they pay up.
March 1st, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Bless you Jon, you made my day happy…
and theres not a lot of things that make me happy now that i am seeking new employment
/Ryan
March 1st, 2009 at 8:34 pm
Hearing the sound of violins in the background……
So sweet indeed.