Thanks for your note. I’m just seeing this, have to admit because there are so many different threads/posts on this topic, I’m not always catching new posts, and I don’t get notified when new posts show up.

I do understand the 800 lb. gorilla in the room. I completely understand why it’s a sticking point for so many people. And I respect why artists and independents do not want to feel like the organization that represents their interests is run by an organization of which they are not part. All that said, agreed, SX started within the RIAA, and there are many RIAA members still on the board as might be expected. Those RIAA members make up a huge percentage of the music market, so it’s not practical or possible, or even desired, to not have them involved. The result of their involvement is that, when something like the small webcaster settlement goes through, it applies broadly, not just to independents and artists. I think you would be surprised to hear the extent to which some of these members are willing to think outside the box – not in every instance – but more than you’d suspect. And I also think that the artists, and independents, are very focused on leveling the playing field and responding to some of the criticisms that I’ve seen on this message board and at the Pho list. This will continue to be a work in progress.

I take your suggestion about the unclaimed monies. It’s not the first time I’ve heard it, and I think the idea is interesting. I’m not in a position to do anything other than say that I hear where you’re coming from, and will discuss this suggestion with others as I prepare for the next board.

And I also believe every board member, as well as the organization itself, will be looking closely at expenditures.

As far as Laura is concerned – true, she’s part of the PR team. There’s no question that SX has talking points, like any other organization. But let’s not pre-judge what she says here. I believe that SX has now, between herself and Bryan Calhoun, some good thinkers that I hope will not just respond with press release-speak.

I value this conversation, and hope to hear from more of you with your thoughts and suggestions. Keep them coming.

Dick, please don’t miss the 800lb gorilla in the room here: SE started within the RIAA, is staffed by many ex-RIAA’ers (key of which is counsel) and apparently still keeps the RIAA folks closeby when crafting policy. RIAA’s pissed off so many people across the board that you can’t *possibly* miss why this is a sticking point with a lot of people. So you can nitpick semantics if you want but until that SoundExchange-RIAA tightness goes away, SE’s going to be seen as nothing but a proxy. And this is a sticking criticism with a lot of people.

Let me throw this out: If SoundExchange really cared about helping artists they’d take a majority chunk of that leftover unclaimed money and just donate it to, say, the FMC so they can use it for their artist healthcare initiatives. Pick any of the many other worthy artists causes out there. But just take a break on those yearly raises for the SE execs (seriously, in this economy that bordering on vulgar) and scale back all that money going to PR firms and just actually *give that money to people that actually do good things for artists*. Put it to a vote. Let all your members pick the charities and vote on who gets what. But make sure it gets to the artists – and not absorbed by SoundExchange.

And with all due respect to Laura we don’t need a strategic comminucations/PR flack in here handing out talking points. This conversation started with you, Dick, and it turned into something that (while sometimes heated) benefits everybody. But if you can’t answer a question on numbers, go get the data people, the folks who have been at SE for the long haul and actually do the math and distributiuons. And either bring *them* into the discussion or get the info yourself and come back with an answer. But please don’t pull a fresh PR person out of the hat and expect anybody to take them seriously. Once you bring in the hired talkers you can be guaranteed to watch this discourse die.

Me, I’d prefer to keep hearing from a boardmember curious and decent enough to engage with people outside of SE on these questions, and who might care enough to keep working on making the current system into something better.