12.5.05

"Piratage" musical: une petite taloche pour la RIAA

Trouvé via The Big Picture, une réponse de Roger Dannenberg, professeur d'université à Cary Sherman, président de la RIAA (association interprofessionnelle qui défend les intérêts de l'industrie du disque américaine, et non pas de l'industrie de la musique, comme ils le croient). Ce dernier a interpellé les universitaires américains sur la question du "piratage" de musique par les étudiants, en enjoignant les professeurs de faire la morale à leurs élèves sur ce sujet.
En effet, la RIAA se plaint des téléchargements soi-disant massifs depuis les campus américains, en général équipés de très haut débit.

Voici la réponse:

Sherman suggests that universities should remind users of "the necessity of responsible use of network resources." In my computer science class at Carnegie Mellon, "Introduction to Computer Music," I spend a little time doing just that. I teach students how, historically, the major recording labels have dominated the recording industry, refusing to record some of America's greatest artists, including Louis Armstrong. (His first recordings were manufactured by a former piano company in Indiana, which was sued by the major labels of the day for patent infringement.) Mr. Sherman, is this an example of "a climate where creativity is valued" that you are seeking?

My students also learn how the broadcasting industry, dominated by NBC and CBS, ignored recording technology until the NBC monopoly was broken up by the FCC. The innovations in magnetic recording for broadcast introduced by the struggling ABC were a major step forward, enabling the modern recording industry and even modern computer technology. Mr. Sherman, was the monopolistic suppression of innovation the "responsible use of network resources" you are seeking?

Mr. Sherman, you say that stealing "is not OK," and yet I have musician friends who cannot get RIAA members to pay them the royalties they are due. While you are asking universities to address your problems, please don't forget that you too can be a "powerful leader in curbing theft of copyright materials on campus." If you'll stop your members from stealing from my friends, and then study some history, maybe I can help you.

Bravo pour la réponse!