RE: Music companys to pay up

["Rick Anderson" <rickand@unr.edu>]

> looks like the music companies have a terrible record of paying what they
> owe -and this case showed they cooked the books, overcharging for
> "packaging" of albums, under counting of fees owed performers
> /undereporting sales. Is this the industry that claims everyone else is
> cheating them???

Yep.

> Just exactly who does congress think it is dealing with
> anyway?  Why did congress believe the claims of an industry that behaves
> like it claims its customers behave?

Because that industry's claims are true -- in fact, their claims aren't
even contested by the customers.

Do the major labels have a long history of mistreating and exploiting
artists?  Yes.  Is the general public demonstrably willing to steal music
if someone makes it easy and convenient for them to do so?  Yes.  Both of
those propositions can be true at the same time, Chuck.  One of the
difficulties of living in a complex world is that sometimes you have to
honor the rights of scumbags.

-------------
Rick Anderson
Director of Resource Acquisition
The University Libraries
University of Nevada, Reno      "I'm not against the modern
1664 No. Virginia St.            world.  I just don't think
Reno, NV  89557                  everything's for sale."
PH  (775) 784-6500 x273             -- Elvis Costello
FX  (775) 784-1328
rickand@unr.edu