6/26/2003

FABLES OF THE DECONSTRUCTION

Bryan from Arguing with Signposts is pondering the Recording Industry Association of America’s recent announcement that it’s going to start suing file-sharers. and he’s wondering why they made this choice in the first place. As he puts it,

Forget about providing them with reasonably priced alternatives (like Apple’s new music service). Forget about evidence that shows some file sharers are more likely to buy CDs. Forget that these are fans of my artists. I must destroy them. They are stealing bread from my table! This is WAR!

So, what would be the best way I could resolve the problem? Hmmmm. Let’s look at the options:
1) Begin a concentrated effort to put our catalog online in a format that people can download songs they like for a reasonable price. Allow them to use the songs just like they would a cassette or a CD - any way they want. Trust that a majority of the people will want to do the right thing. Build up good PR that will eventually dry up the user base. At the same time, begin focusing some enforcement efforts on major league file sharers who are clearly abusing our good will.

2) Sue the pants off everyone who downloads a copy of “the Real Slim Shady” over the Internet. Take away their income. Subject them to huge fines and lawyer fees. Destroy any good will that may have existed with the buying public (and especially the Internet community) up to this point. Begin working on technological means to inhibit legal owners of music from playing their CDs or song files in any place they might want to. Ignore the possible bad PR because, well, it just feels good to get revenge. I can crush them!

You know, I think I’ll choose number 2!

Actually, I prefer the following analogy: Suppose I distribute screwdrivers. And I can’t find a supplier who can only provide me with perfect, high-quality tools. No matter who I buy screwdrivers from, at least 50% of their product has significant quality issues. But the tools I buy that are perfect, you’ll never wear out and never get rid of.

So what do I do? Do I:

1. Package the good and bad tools together, forcing you to buy some of each if you want to get a good screwdriver or two, or

2. Refuse the substandard tools, run the suppliers out of business, and charge whatever the market will bear for the good tools?

Either way, you’re paying $20 for one or two good screwdrivers.

Posted by Mark @ 9:25 pm | | Permalink
This post is filed under: Music

2 Comments

  1. But every once in a while, you get a package that has 10 darn-near-perfect tools, and other times, the tool packages are on sale for $5. And your supplier only gets paid $1 per screwdriver and has to go out on the road to convince people to buy the screwdrivers so that they can pay for the tools and die they used to MAKE the screwdrivers.

    Not only that, but you don’t really try new suppliers, instead relying on the same, tired recipes for screwdrivers (cough - Brittney Spears - cough) and spend all of your marketing budget promoting those screwdrivers. But suddenly, everyone’s buying lathes. You could have distributed high-quality lathes (and gotten the supplier at a song - pun intended) when they weren’t the hot tool. But now you go and sign up a supplier who produces “lathe-like” tools in the hopes of cashing in on the lathe craze.

    yeah, it’s a perfect analogy. ;-)

    Comment by bryan — 6/26/2003 @ 9:34 pm

  2. . . . I think you and I both need to stay away from the hardware store, Bryan.

    Comment by Mark — 6/27/2003 @ 7:39 am

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