Ars Technica has a great reaction to the RIAA’s reaction to Steve Jobs’ comment about the RIAA being greedy.
Now, the RIAA is claiming that it would be totally fair, and that the consumers would support or even demand, that the record labels get to charge more for songs sold via iTunes, and to get a cut of iPod sales. Even though they have to spend roughly $0 to market music via the iTMS, and spend exactly $0 to sell music through it. And they spent exactly $0 to design, manufacture, market and distribute the iPod. But, they need a cut of the pie.
Did they get a cut of every 8 track player sold? Every record player? Cassette player? CD player? If the answer to any of these is “no”, then why on earth would they get a cut of the iPod?
Instead of lining up to thank the one company on the planet that gave the Big Labels a chance to maintain some relevancy in the new online music market, they insist that they need a cut of everything even remotely music-related, from end to end of the food chain.
Somebody needs to hit the RIAA with a big ol’ clue stick. The Music Industry isn’t just greedy – that would be understandable and we could all deal with that. On top of greed, they appear to be criminally stupid.
As of the last few years, there should be an addendum to that dictionary entry: “See: RIAA”
Ars Technica has a great reaction to the RIAA’s reaction to Steve Jobs’ comment about the RIAA being greedy.
Now, the RIAA is claiming that it would be totally fair, and that the consumers would support or even demand, that the record labels get to charge more for songs sold via iTunes, and to get a cut of iPod sales. Even though they have to spend roughly $0 to market music via the iTMS, and spend exactly $0 to sell music through it. And they spent exactly $0 to design, manufacture, market and distribute the iPod. But, they need a cut of the pie.
Did they get a cut of every 8 track player sold? Every record player? Cassette player? CD player? If the answer to any of these is “no”, then why on earth would they get a cut of the iPod?
Instead of lining up to thank the one company on the planet that gave the Big Labels a chance to maintain some relevancy in the new online music market, they insist that they need a cut of everything even remotely music-related, from end to end of the food chain.
Somebody needs to hit the RIAA with a big ol’ clue stick. The Music Industry isn’t just greedy – that would be understandable and we could all deal with that. On top of greed, they appear to be criminally stupid.
As of the last few years, there should be an addendum to that dictionary entry: “See: RIAA”
