Re: Finance the music industry with a $6/mo levy on broadband (The Reg)

On Mon, 2004-02-02 at 15:51, James Heald wrote:
> Free legal downloads for $6 a month. DRM free. The artists get paid. We 
> explain how...

Essentially, this seems to be advocating of state run entertainment.

Here's how it could look:

The Government create a limited company (let's call it MediaChoice) to
handle the reallocation of taxes. This is wholly state owned affair that
is responsible for allocating money according to what is popular (based
on a sample of the order of thousands - thus nicely eliminating the
troublesome minority music groups). Of course this part is efficient
because it is a company.

In order to aid efficiency of music production, a plc is setup to handle
the artists in a more direct fashion, an uber label if you will. Let's
call it MusicTrack. Of course, this plc is state subsidised, so the
share holders can be guaranteed of success even in adverse market
conditions or lack of previous long term investment.

MusicTrack will subcontract out the actual production of music to the
existing labels that already own the infrastructure. In order to reduce
administration and give better value to the broadband tax payer, only a
few large record companies are used. These record companies are
contracted on a per annum basis to produce music according to the
criteria set out by MediaChoice, and are directly answerable to OfMaC
(Office of media and content).

Because the music companies actually exist to bring exceptional music to
their audiences, the quality of the music will actually improve under
this guaranteed income model. No more quick and dirty manufactured
bands. Along with this would come a greater sense of integrity at
becoming essentially a public service.

You know what, I think it might actually work...

hen

-- 
Henry Gomersall
http://www.heng.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

Please avoid sending me any MS WORD, EXCEL or POWERPOINT attachments.
See http://www.fsf.org/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html
or  http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3154479.stm
"If your only contribution is to quote another, that is no contibution
at all."