As usual, I appreciate Rick's knowledgeable and thoughtful writing.
However, I think he comes from the industry perspective, that they
are the providers of content.
By way of contrast, I volunteer in college radio. A popular perception
in that community is that there's plenty of good stuff out there, and
the record companies are hindering things often as not. The following
just came across the radio station's list:
`The studios [meaning "record companies"], for their part, scoff at
the notion [of MP3]. "What are they going to do?" asks Jeffrey
Neuberger, an attorney who represents several major labels.
"Present you with an undifferentiated mass of music, most of which
is garbage, and let you randomly browse through it, on the theory
that maybe you might find something you like?" In Neuberger's
view, the need for A&R is almost too obvious to be worth
discussing.'
Doesn't his description of MP3.com's site come scintillatingly
close to the output of the typical major label, the contents of the
typical record store, and the ads in a typical music magazine?
To these folks, MP3 spells ultimate freedom from the labels. If they
choke themselves off sooner by insisting on cumbersome hindrances, so
much the better. Yes, the major labels should stay awake late nights
wondering how to avoid winding up like the last maker of horse-buggy
whips.
What isn't yet clear is how the economics of new-media music
distribution would work. (It wasn't really clear that "open software"
companies like Red Hat would be successful, either -- actually, some
say the jury's still out). And certainly, the technology lacks
cost-effectiveness and maturity with MD. I keep saying that the
trends indicate this may change sooner than we expect, but personally,
"Eat, drink, be merry" is my attitude toward MD.
Romain Kang Siemens Info/Comm Products, San Jose R&D
[EMAIL PROTECTED] formerly Pyramid Technology Corporation
Disclaimer: I represent myself alone, except where otherwise indicated.
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