Coming to you in 2010, The Finalized Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement and The Future OF Control And Enforcement of the Internet
2010 marks the start of a new decade as well as the growing shift in consumer usage of traditional broadcast mediums in favor for or along with new media outlets via the Internet through broadband devices such as computers and mobile smart phones. According to Internetworldstats.com, Internet usage within the United States has grown from 44.1% of the population in 2000 to 74.1% in 2009 representing a 30% increase in 9 years. This growth has pushed the Internet and the accompanying Web to the forefront of where people get their information and media for entertainment. Still according to the A.C. Nielsen Co., 99% of Americans own a television in their homes and according to reports from Arbitron, a radio ratings firm, 91% of Americans still tune into radio at least once a week. This still shows that a majority of Americans use traditional broadcast mediums to get their information and media. This shift from traditional broadcasting mediums to the Internet/web as well as broadband ubiquity through mobile devices will continue through the next decade and will put more pressure on the Government to implement regulations on the Internet and Web. Also the innovation of traditional media devices that allow access to the Web through the Internet will put more pressure on regulators to re-evaluate old laws and implement new ones that are in accordance with the morals of the nation as a whole and other related issues like copyright and obscenity.
The increase in the worldwide trade of counterfeit goods and pirated copyrighted works both physically and digitally has crippled revenues throughout all economies of the world especially each counties respective media industry. It is because of this that The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement has come to fruition. The agreement which was first introduced by the US Administration in 2007, has just completed its 7th round of negotiations in Mexico. These negotiations have been behind closed doors and the most recent round of negotiations will bring the ACTA closer to concluding the final agreement. The final agreement will likely be the basis of future national laws for the countries involved. Since ACTA’s inception by the United States other countries have become involved like the European Union, Australia, Canada, Japan, Switzerland, South Korea, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand and Singapore.
Only online leaks that have appeared in websites like the WikiLeaks website have given the only look into what is really happening behind closed doors between the countries. In the Winter 2010 issue of The New Economy Paul Marks writes,” the Wikileaks website reveal that it will require some ISP’s to be technological sleuths who monitor their customers’ internet use to “deter unauthorized storage and transmission of infringing content.” Infringer’s will face a “graduated response” as the ultimate sanction.”
Already the ACTA bill has influenced the UK’s Digital Economy Bill. Paul Marks explains that the bill if passed will make ISP’s warn consumers twice about sharing copy write infringed content then the user will face “technical measures”. These measures include slowing or cutting off downloads of infringed material.There has been a lot of controversy about the ACTA and how it will affect the future control and enforcement of Internet as well as invasion of privacy of customers and costs to ISP’s.
Who knows what tomorrow will bring, but after two decades of the unfettered use of the Internet and the Web along with minority Internet usage among Americans til recently, regulation seems inevitable in this new decade.
David Lewis Departs, Leaves Us In A Glass Case Of Emotion
After spearheading the rebirth of AEMMP Records last year, providing guidance, and generally inspiring each of us at AEMMP to take things to the next level, AEMMP co-instructor David Lewis will be relocating to Minneapolis. We at AEMMP would all like to congratulate David and his wife Pamela on the exciting news that there will be a new addition to the Lewis family, and wish them all the best.
Justin Sinkovich, David’s co-instructor, will be joined by David’s successor Kegan Simmons. Kegan, like Justin, is an AEMMP alum and has worked in the music business since graduation, most recently at Chicago’s own Bloodshot records. We’re all excited to work with Kegan and are looking forward to a very busy spring at AEMMP.
Hype Machine partners with SoundCloud
Everyone cool’s favorite blog aggregator is teaming up with everyone who matters’ favorite music upload service to streamline the path from content creators to consumers in the blogosphere. Hype Machine is great for keeping tabs on what’s cool on the bleeding edge of the music world, and popular tracks on the HM charts can generate huge buzz for indie artists. Until now, that system has relied on bloggers to encode, upload and host the tracks that stream on Hype Machine; often leading to poor sound quality, questionably legal remixes, unreliable access and a lack of analytic feedback for labels whose artist are featured. Thankfully, Hype Machine has entered a strategic partnership with SoundCloud, so far the cleanest, highest quality music upload site around. This partnership will allow bloggers to use a widget from SoundCloud to feature songs in their posts from artists and labels who utilize the service. When users on Hype Machine play the track it will stream from the high quality, permanent source on SoundCloud rather than the blogger’s domain. This means better sounding, more reliable music on Hype Machine and improved analytic feedback for labels, all while freeing up more time for top music bloggers to flat iron their hair, or whatever it is they do. If you haven’t used either site you need to get up on them both and watch your life, popularity and romantic relationships improve drastically.
Pitchfork Music Festival 2010
This week, Chicago’s Pitchfork Media announced details for it’s annual Pitchfork Music Festival. To take place July 16-18 in Union Park, the festival’s 5th year line-up boasts headlining acts including Pavement, Modest Mouse, LCD Soundsystem, and St. Vincent, with many more artists yet to be announced.
Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased at Ticket Web, $40 for single day tickets or $90 for a 3 day pass.
Pet Lions at The Hideout
2/27/2010
Life During Wartime’s Copper & Wool 7th Anniversary Party
9:00 PM at The Hideout
w/ Bald E. + Mother Hubbard
1354 West Wabansia, Chicago, Illinois 60642
American Artifact – the rise of American rock poster art
Last week I happened to end up at a documentary film called American Artifact. It is a fantastic look back at the artists that have often defined the bands and shows that we have come to idolize. The director, Merle Becker, drove all across the country to talk to some amazing artists who have created some of the most important of rock music posters from the last five decades.
It was really amazing to see the history and rise of the rock poster movement of recent years, and all of the artists were extremely interesting and exciting. If you get a chance to see it in your city, or buy it when it comes available, then you definitely should. As a music lover, you are sure to find this is very relevant to the current state of the industry and why certain trends are happening at the moment. Check out the website here: http://www.americanartifactmovie.com/
AEMMP Awarded IMA College Label Release of 2009
A year after its reinvention, Columbia College Chicago’s AEMMP Records’ Chompilation has won the IMA (Independent Music Awards) College Label Release of 2009. The winning album features tracks from AEMMP Records own Big Science and Pet Lions, in addition to local bands Office, Maps & Atlases, Netherfriends, and many more.
The Winners were determined by a panel of 80 influential artists and industry professionals including Tom Waits, The Black Keys, Ricky Skaggs, Pete Wentz, Mark Hoppus, Aimee Mann, The Apples in Stereo, David Garrett, Suzanne Vega, Bettye LaVette, Judy Collins, Zooey Deschanel, and M. Ward.
For the past 10 years, artists and labels from around the world have found new fans through the Independent Music Awards. Produced by Music Resource Group, publisher of the industry contact database The Musician’s Atlas, The IMAs uses its unrivaled access to performance, promotion and distribution to connect Winners to new audiences and opportunities.
Other college labels that were nominated for “College Label Release” included MAD Dragon Records from Drexel University, Cane Records from the University of Miami, and Potential Unlimited from Australia.
Big Science at The Metro
2/14/2010
Rock N Raise Benefit for Darfur
4:00 PM at Metro
3730 N. Clark St., Chicago, Illinois
Cost: $10
Big Science at Lincoln Hall
2/6/2010
6:00 PM at Lincoln Hall
w/ AM Taxi and Royal Bangs
2424 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60614
Cost: $10 advance/$12 Door
Lala: Months later, kinda like “Teen Mom” is to “16 and Pregnant”
Months after the Google/Lala.com fusion, it would seem a review is in order. Lala.com, originally an online record store (literally, exchanging records/cds, shopping for rare finds, fan sharing, pubescent Pink Floyd fan in the corner riddling the mystery of Dark Side’s coincided timing to The Wizard of Oz) It’s all there.
The site has since spanned to operate as a digital retailer with a twist. Allow profiled users to listen to EVERY song EVER (in the spans of its catalogue, obviously) once, and then allowing users to purchase web versions of the song to stream within their Lala.com profile, or purchasing a downloadable version of the song. These features, combined with users ability to upload their music library and listen countlessly to those songs as well create a nice appeal to the site, as it should.
combative to iTunes, Lala.com Users can upload and listen to their music library ANYWHERE with internet, and with a mobile application in the works, Lala.com would be within hands reach at ALL TIMES. iPods are great but they don’t have a feature to view related artists, check out their bios, see pictures and discover tangental artists without having to access iTunes, and if you’re going to take that step, why not visit Lala.com and hear songs in their entirety?
If that wasn’t encouraging for people to sign up, Lala.com gives you 25 credits for signing up and 5 credits for referrals. That is, 25 songs that you DON’T have to purchase, but instead get to reap the web streaming rewards of unlimited listening.
This is all great for the music listener and mobile enthusiast, however, there’s one draw back.
A BIG DRAW BACK.
There is no security. All that’s required is an active email address. That’s it.
So to prove a point, I have created 5 profiles, each having pseudonyms that may OR MAY NOT be that of my siblings, and have listened to THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON (yes, I am now that kid!) FOR FREE BECAUSE OF MY CREDITS I RECEIVED BY REFERRING MYSELF! (ALL CAPS)
herewithstanding, i will be withdrawing from the left-hanging key from the “a”, i will bargain with those users to refrain from excessive profile creation, and give lala.com a true try, if you haven’t already. it does house a unique network of artists and has exposed new ones to me daily.
though it is like a screen door catching solar winds, it does keep the flies out and lets you enjoy those sweet sweet sunrises. until a new adaptation is assembled, one that houses the interests of both publishers and retailers, lala.com has my card, and i have them on speed dial.