Introduction
Some issues need to be discussed in relation to MP3 and other Cyber related wars. Music is a foremost fabric that reaches its audience through many forms. Nonetheless, Mp3 is one of the forms. However, there are debatable concerns about consumption, distribution, revolution, copyright, promotion, and economic perceptive from consumers and cosmopolitan distributors.
Key Words: mp3, cyber, and internet.
Controversial issues concerning music distribution
The music industry has in the recent past stumbled upon pressing issues about music distribution, internet access, and utilization of music. The subject of music copyright and the music industry as a property has been the center of focus (Dobie 204). Notably, the internet has been the center spot in integrating music into the globe. That is, it has correlated well the broad-based distributors and the needy customers in various standpoints. It has enabled the ingenious artists to “create, promote, and disseminate their own music, as well as discovering new ways of consuming and interacting with music” (Dobie 204). Clearly, there is a positive influence from the internet. However, there is a cancerous problem brought about by the internet itself. Here, the “record companies have lost control over the copying and distribution of their recordings in the online environment” (Dobie 204). This has made the financial status of these companies realize poor profits. Thus, a clear war is evident.
Illustrious companies like Sony, BMG, Warner’s, EMI, and Universal are the money-spinning firms that monopolize the music industry. They have invested heavily in producing, recording, promoting, and distributing fine music records. Contrary to expectations, it has led to dissatisfaction when piracy makes them realize low income. These multinational firms have authentic permission to distribute and make copies of music. Conversely, the internet has been a tool that has defrauded the functional importance of these firms. This piracy or recopying is enhanced by the use of CDs and software that support the ‘burning’ of copied music. This has been handled by the creation of copyright procedures that seek to authenticate music in terms of standards and online censorship. Recent developments have steamed up the surveillance. As a result, the pirates in cyberspace have a hard time outwitting the firms. Although there is still room for consultation between governments and cyber owners to fully combat this genie.
Initially, the internet was used by the military to convey scientific and technical information but the entertainment industry has now brought the internet closer to the common man! This is by the advent of MP3 in miniaturization technology (Dobie 205). This has enabled the non-monetary-oriented consumers to receive information and music free of charge at the expense of the artiste’s investment. The files are now in digital form and not analog. The main ideology of mp3 was to enable the access of music in small minuscule form rather than a voluminous analog format. This has considerably enabled the transfer of information very quickly. This mp3 miniaturization process was targeted to transcend and decentralize the “gift economy” as an intellectual commodity as described by Babrook and focus on sharing the music and exchanging information through inter-person connection (Dobie 205). The forming of mp3.com was to enable consumers to rip music. This was enhanced by the use of recent innovations adapted by Napster and peer-to-peer services (P2P). This was mainly to embrace the “network technology, culture, and ethos to meet customer’s taste and preference” (Dobie 206).
Authorization of music
Despite the fact that leading companies have lost in this battle against non-monetary file transfer, there has been some level of authorization. This revolution has been vital in sharing music on the internet via selected websites. Amateur music and semi-professional music singles have been shared and “authorized” by MP3.com.
The authorization of free music sharing has been encoded through Usenet and distributed to subscribers online. This largely used internet traffic has led to legal changes to P2P systems. Hence, they created a high market trend in accessing music files. Around 2001, Kazaa and another site called Poisoned were launched to efficiently use fast track network in routing music files (Steinmetz 4).
Therefore, this free music download has been prestigious in some ways. Certain artists have made themselves popular and very successful when they share their music freely at considerably low prices. Although it opens debate about quality issues but some artists have been elevated reasonably and become significant. Examples of these artists are David Bowie and Pete Townsend (Dobie 207). Although it is wrong to share music in this format, the anti-piracy and copyright department has to induce severity terms in Intellectual Property Rights.
Also, this free downloading or access of music has been authorized by the Voluntary Collective Licensing of Music Files Act. Such an authorization not only benefits the artists named above but also the large community of worldwide music fans. This Act has various terms and conditions which the prospective consumers need to comply with before using the respective music websites.
Copyright
In the 1976 Copyright Act Section 106, copyright is a legitimate right granted by law to own, reproduce, control, and sell copies of musical compositions for a period of time. This time is usually around 60-70 years after the demise of the artist. The archives of the work can be an intangible form or any other different format of storage and production (Clarke 38).
Various governments have addressed the issue concerning copyright and have made considerable efforts in curbing copyright crimes. Copyright laws have been formulated under a corporation called Intellectual Property Rights. The corporation has made these prominent firms have the supremacy. It has cleverly extended to the market by making two or three firms merge and hence securing copyright of music. Examples of these firms are AOL and Warner. Their set objective is to advance the progress of the Science sector and various useful Arts. This has been jeopardized and standard legalization is essential.
This corporation has incorporated the Patent rights of musicians and producing companies. Also, the Trademark labels used to differentiate productions are part and parcel of the procedure. There are also the Industrial Design labels of various artists and respective firms. Lastly, there is the incorporation of important Trade Secrets of music production. The corporation brought up these ideas to combat the proliferation of pirated music. To enable curbing the vice, the corporation has enacted and legalized different firms to identify musical works and compositions appropriately. There are different categories of musical compositions that these firms deal with. For example, the Sound recordings category and Musical performances have different legislation and laws regarding litigation (Shoolman 3).
The most important areas that these firms endorsed by the corporation deal with are; the lyrics of the musical pieces, the format of music composition adapted by the producer or artiste, a definite form of song production, and artist protection. The premise of copyrighting music is based on the production of music, reproduction in various forms e.g., iTunes, mp3, mp4 or CD and DVD. It also includes the distribution of music to the customer and publishing musical compositions. There are reforms made by this global corporation in litigation and impeding unauthorized access to e-music. This is done by making a tight oligopoly market situation. This supremacy is extended to the market by two or three firms that have merged and secured the copyright of music. This will reduce tedious procedures in legalizing artists’ music where proof is given in form of a certificate of copyright ownership (Clarke 104).
Future Promotion
There are precise rudiments that can bring sevenfold promotion effects in the music industry in the future. Although the music industry has been faced with much schmoozing of P2P and unauthorized file sharing there is still hope to revolutionize this industry. To promote music to the audience, a favorable model can be formed which allows the distribution, promotion, and globally publicizing artiste’s music. To promote the music industry a friendly approach should be adopted to tackle piracy. For example, to increase sales of music singles, a promoter may opt for the internet and disregard CD production. A minimum charge of $1 can entice buyers to access the song over a million times. This will make artists reconsider the exploitation and ownership of music at the expense of an eager market that eyes new music that is cheaper than purchasing a CD. Because online sharing of music has been the order of the day, a High-Speed music download system should be enhanced and quality improvement should be looked into.
Apart from the reasons stated above, copyright seems to be the best approach that will enhance the protection of the music industry and make it flourish. Intellectual Property Rights has the mandate to face the various strands of traditional music activities that are emerging and rampant. The first emergent strand is to provide a “legitimate market for major label copyrighted recordings” (Dobie 212). This will justify artists enjoying their rights in music promotion and distribution. The corporation should have a level eye on the recent development of online and offline customer outlets. Uncouth innovations like Napster’s and Music-Net should have legal proceedings that will adhere to the protection of the artist and the customer. The second obligation by this corporation in the future should work towards the illegal market that targets key music trade names. Appropriate legal conduct should address demeaning music file transfer and protect the artist by the legislation discussed above. And lastly, it should focus on the legal market that targets less interested consumers (Dobie 212). When these values are adopted, an excellent promotion will have a reconnaissance effect in the music industry in the near future.
Personal View
My personal perception about the Music industry and the dangers posed by the internet is in agreement with the author’s argument. Professor Plume mentions in his article that various prominent firms have been suing and putting the general public in dilemma. The public is the main source of income for the artists and their producers, but the firms are proposing that the very customers are thieves! This enormous propaganda has made the firms have retrogressive and dwindling income due to the negative outlook of the general public (Plume 3). The future has unknown developments thus the firms should be more inventive and creative rather than concentrating on tarnishing the reputation of the loyal public and being authoritative. Ali suggests that these prominent companies should look at their heft losses than threatening almost 261 people who would have posed as diligent customers (2).
Works Cited
Ali, Ruhina. Music industry. Chicago Tribune. 2003. Web.
Clarke, Richard. Cyber War. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2010. Print.
Dobie, Ian. “The music industry versus the Internet: MP3 and other cyber music wars.” Web Studies. Ed. Horsley, Ross and Gauntlett, David. New York, NY: Bloomsbury, 2004. 204- 212. Print.
Plume, Emeritus. The Music Industry’s raise to throne. Music Article. 2010. Web.
Shoolman, Justine. How Do I Copyright Music? The Simple Steps to Protect Your Work.
Ezine Article. 2004. Web.
Steinmetz, Ralf and Wehrle, Klaus. Peer-to-Peer Systems and Applications. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Volume 3485. 2001. Web.