Digital Techonology and IP Policy

Ok, now that 90% of you have tuned out of this post based on the title alone, I would now like to let the radio, webcasting, tech, and copyright geeks in on the dirt from a conference I attended in Washington, D.C. on May 2.

The Future of Music Coalition magically planned a meeting of the minds at exactly the right time in history, setting aside a day for webcasters, musicians, copyright lawyers, legislators, and performance rights organizations to engage in a civil discussion about contentious topics like net neutrality and the Copyright Royalty Board's webcasting rate hike. I observed some meaningful conversations between groups who have been at odds with each other, but I also witnessed the old guard struggling to come to terms with technologies that are at least a decade old. I came away from the meeting half hopeful about open lines of comminication between previously warring parties, and half convinced that current attempts to create meaningful laws for music technology and intellectual property are futile and doomed to failure in our rapidly morphing media environment.

But you can form your own conclusions. FMC has generously posted streaming video of their entire Technology and IP Policy Day, broken down into individual talks (click here for the schedule and video links). Below I've reposted direct video links to each talk:

Intro and Welcome by FMC's Kristin Thompson        
  Video: Windows Media  |  Real

Congressman Mike Doyle's (D-PA) Keynote
Refreshingly well-informed speech touching on net neutrality, webcasting royalties, and artist compensation.   Video: Windows Media  |  Real

Radio Waves
Webcasting royalties discussed by a panel including the CEO of Pandora, the Executive Director of Sound Exchange, an independent musician, and others, expertly moderated by FMC's Brian Zisk. This was the hot button session for me: the VP of XM shoots down Sound Exchange for claiming that airplay has no promotional value, the indie musician says that Pandora helps him sell music, and the CEO of Live 365 begs Sound Exchange to return his calls... How much sexier can it get?   Video: Windows Media  |  Real

CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association's Address
The CEA sticks it to the RIAA for alienating customers and independent musicians.   Video: Windows Media  |  Real

Jenny Toomey Explains FMC's Rock the Net Campaign
   Video: Windows Media  |  Real

The Net Effect
Panel on net neutrality and how a tiered internet would hurt independent musicians.   Video: Windows Media  |  Real

David Carson of the U.S. Copyright Office
Learn what a digital phonorecord delivery is, and where downloads and audio streams fall under this definition. Kind of. Maybe. Ok, so I was kidding. But it is amusing (and sad) to know that the copyright office is well aware of the blunders and logistical roadblocks built into the DMCA.   Video: Windows Media  |  Real

Stocking the Celestial Jukebox
Licensing and artist compensation in the digital world, the effects of new tech products on musicians, and the need for copyright reform.   Video: Windows Media  |  Real

Comments

[jorge]

didn't make it past the title

[James]

Thanks Liz. Keep the faith.

[BrianTurner]

Thanx for the report Liz -- and update on what the Simple Machines/Tsunami duo are doing these days to boot!

[C.S. Lewiston]

In 1969, comic and activist Dick Gregory suggested a boycott of phonograph records as a way to get the voting age lowered (it was 21 then) by putting economic pressure on a major industry.

Whatever becomes of the RIAA coke-heads' greed-grab, I would like to suggest that a similar boycott of RIAA-affiliated record labels might be in order if only to show the music cartels that we are not amused by their antics.