The RIAA (Sony, EMI, Universal & Warner) are complete a$$ holes. they want to stop all outlets of free music to force ppl to purchase the crap they produce. without having already heard how lame the music is on the radio they think the cd sales will increase!

here is a story from ars that is worth a read!

Radio stations want Congress to look into major label recording contracts

BREAKING! RIAA Bans Telling Friends About Songs

Originally posted by above hyperlink:

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LOS ANGELES—The Recording Industry Association of America announced Tuesday that it will be taking legal action against anyone discovered telling friends, acquaintances, or associates about new songs, artists, or albums. "We are merely exercising our right to defend our intellectual properties from unauthorized peer-to-peer notification of the existence of copyrighted material," a press release signed by RIAA anti-piracy director Brad Buckles read. "We will aggressively prosecute those individuals who attempt to pirate our property by generating 'buzz' about any proprietary music, movies, or software, or enjoy same in the company of anyone other than themselves." RIAA attorneys said they were also looking into the legality of word-of-mouth "favorites-sharing" sites, such as coffee shops, universities, and living rooms.

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RIAA Sues Radio Stations For Giving Away Free Music

Quote:

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LOS ANGELES—The Recording Industry Association of America filed a $7.1 billion lawsuit against the nation's radio stations Monday, accusing them of freely distributing copyrighted music.

RIAA president Hilary Rosen and attorney Russell Frackman answer questions in a Los Angeles courthouse.

"It's criminal," RIAA president Hilary Rosen said. "Anyone at any time can simply turn on a radio and hear a copyrighted song. Making matters worse, these radio stations often play the best, catchiest song off the album over and over until people get sick of it. Where is the incentive for people to go out and buy the album?"

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Hah. The onion. I havn't seen one of those lying around in a while.

Double Post

You do relize that the onion makes this stuff up... but its not far from the truth... if you say i cant say anything about it. then i'll let my colt python and my automatic shotgun do the talking for you.

The onion making stuff up? Say it aint so....lol

great place for tongue in cheek satire at times

Back on point though...

I think that webcasters SHOULD pay the same royalty structure as OTA radio stations that broadcast OTA and not some inflated rate because they're broadcasting over the net.

I also think that labels should pay royalties to the band the same for digital sales as they do for physical sales and not the reduced rate they do because it's a digital sale.

But then the RIAA et. al. do like to have their cake and eat it to.

Pointless creation of more useless legislation.