Note: This column represents the opinions
of the writer and as such, is not represented as fact
At last,
the contents of Aardvark's "million-dollar ideas" notebook
are revealed for all to see!
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Let's kick off the new year with more of the oddest material on the Web.
Nobody Loves You?
How does it go? "Nobody loves me, everybody hate's me, guess I'll go... "
The Nude Suit
As seen in Playboy Magazine -- If you've always wanted to go nude but...
ebaumsworld dot com
Check out the cool effect on the front page of this site (just follow the
instructions).
Need Cutting-Edge Copy?
As NZ's longest-running online commentator, I'm looking for
extra syndication opportunities for this daily publication -- or I'm happy
to write casual or regular material specifically to order for print or
Net-based publications. If you're
interested, drop me a line
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An Online Music (Honesty) Box?
If you're like me, you probably caught at least a few minutes of a TV program
which pleaded the case against music piracy on TV2 over the holiday break.
A range of local recording artists from Dave Dobbin to Renee from Tadpole told
us that if we copied CDs or downloaded stuff from the Net then we were bad
people. Renee even went so far as to say that she "despised" anyone who did
this -- oooooh!
However, you've got to have some sympathy for these struggling singers,
songwriters and bands. The way the recording industry has structured itself
seems to ensure that the artists end up right at the end of the money-chain.
They only get paid after all the others have taken their fairly large share --
which means that if an album doesn't sell too well, they might even end
up out of pocket.
Then we have retailers such as Dick Smith with TV ads that actually promoted
the download music from the Net and burning to your own CDRs. I note that they've
changed their pitch a little now -- did the recording industry have a word
I wonder?
Now I think we have to treat local musicians somewhat differently to the mega-stars
such as Madonna, Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, etc. Most of our artists
are far from "rich" -- and have to work damned hard for their meagre earnings --
in fact for the vast majority, other forms of income (like a day-job) are
an essential part of life.
Given that they're a deserving bunch who, some would allege, are being roundly
stiffed by the recording industry, how can those who trade music files and
illegally duplicate music CDs help out?
Well why doesn't someone set up a website which will accept donations of (say)
$5 per CD burnt or swapped over the Net?
That $5 (less a small handling fee to pay for the site and administration) could
be then sent directly to the artist as compensation for the potential loss of
a CD sale.
The service would obviously have to ensure the anonymity of the payer (because
you can guarantee that the recording industry would spit tacks over this one)
but it could issue a unique identifier code to all those who donate so that
(if required) they could later prove that they'd paid the artist for their work.
I actually think that this could become a viable second-tier distribution
model for local music.
If enough of those who currently pirate music were to go semi-honest and pay
the token amount, local artists would soon be attracted to releasing tracks
and albums directly to such a site rather than through established labels.
Local music would become much cheaper -- but the recording artists would
end up earning a whole lot more money at the same time. The only losers would
be the whining recording industry.
Now I know that many ventures have been set up to sell music direct -- but
they've lacked that initial kick-off that the proposed honesty system would
produce. Such online music outlets have in the past tended to carry only
obscure bands whose music doesn't have the same draw as well recognised
names. By encouraging people who have pirated popular music to donate that
money to the artists it might just produce the missing kick-start.
What do YOU think?
Would you pay $5 or even $7 for a CD if you knew that all but a dollar or
so of that money was going directly into the pockets of the artist?
Would you be prepared to make such an "honesty payment" for music you'd received on
a CDR or downloaded from the Net?
Have your say (remember to select For Publication
if you want to see your comments on this page).
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Did you tell someone else about Aardvark today? If not then do it
now!
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There are new Vacancies Last added 2 Oct In The Job Centre
There are 14 Domain Names for sale
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