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RIAA files last minute comments with FCC

10 July 2007 3:40 by Rich "vurbal" Fiscus | 4 comments

In comments filed with the Federal Communications Commission on Monday, the RIAA urged the agency to "make clear that its approval of a merger is conditioned upon the continued protection of sound recordings from unlawful infringement."

The RIAA's comments came on the final day for submitting comments about the public-interest implications of the XM-Sirius deal in general.

Under copyright law, separate licenses exist for the "performance" of a song and for the recording or "distribution" of it. Satellite and Internet radio broadcasters (unlike traditional radio) are already required to pay performance-based royalties.

But the RIAA said it's concerned that both satellite radio companies have invested in technologies that allow them to shortchange artists on the distribution side "by giving users the ability to download copyrighted sound recordings to portable devices, effectively transforming a radio-like service into a digital distribution subscription service like Rhapsody or Napster."

The FCC is still accepting comments for at least another month on a more specific question: whether, if it finds the XM-Sirius deal is hunky-dory for the public, it should waive a decade-old rule prohibiting a single operator from controlling all of the satellite radio spectrum.

Source: CNet News

Permalink to this article

EU culture committee finalizes recommendation to Parliament without IFPI changes (23 January 2008)

Sirius hits 8.3 million subscribers in 2007 (4 January 2008)

Sirius/XM merger gets support from three U.S. lawmakers (16 December 2007)

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Discuss this article!
webe123 (Inactive) 10 July 2007 3:47
I think the RIAA are a bunch of IDIOTS! They want to talk about "shortchanging artists"??? They have been screwing artists over for YEARS! (Not to mention the other stupid lawsuits they have going on) And NOW they want to act like they are on the artists side?? All I can says is, give me a break! [ + quote]
ChromeMud (Junior Member) 10 July 2007 4:06
It's getting to the point that the RIAA want to ban the music culture altogether,bleedin' Nazi's! [ + quote]
Steve83 (Member) 12 July 2007 8:02
XM & Sirius are both headed for bankruptcy. If one of them goes under before the merger, how many operators will control the satellite spectrum? And wtf is RIAA arguing? Will the merger CHANGE any satellite customer's ability to record? NO! [ + quote]
borhan9 (AfterDawn Addict) 17 July 2007 0:11
I think the RIAA wants to run the world like a bunch of robots. Pointless i see we have enough world police atm we do not need them to add to it. [ + quote]