Comments on: Marketing Morality is Hard: why the future of music is free http://www.livedigitally.com/2007/07/03/marketing-morality-is-hard-why-the-future-of-music-is-free/ Reviews and opinions about consumer technology, gadgets, Websites, new media, services, and more. Mon, 08 Sep 2008 05:39:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Richard http://www.livedigitally.com/2007/07/03/marketing-morality-is-hard-why-the-future-of-music-is-free/#comment-368425 Richard Mon, 01 Sep 2008 20:25:07 +0000 http://www.livedigitally.com/2007/07/03/marketing-morality-is-hard-why-the-future-of-music-is-free/#comment-368425 The reason why this particular morality is hard to sell is because it isn't actually moral. So called "intellectual property rights" do not have a valid moral basis. Simple morality would suggest that when you create a work it is yours (in the conventional sense) to do with as you like. However once you distribute a copy to someone else then you do not have any natural moral right to control their use of it. (Except the right to be identified as the creator - which is a matter of truthfulness rather than property.). Copyright and patent law were invented to facilitate business but have created a kind of "have your cake and eat it" concept - which is anathema to traditional moral systems - for the same reason as usury. The reason why this particular morality is hard to sell is because it isn’t actually moral. So called “intellectual property rights” do not have a valid moral basis. Simple morality would suggest that when you create a work it is yours (in the conventional sense) to do with as you like. However once you distribute a copy to someone else then you do not have any natural moral right to control their use of it. (Except the right to be identified as the creator - which is a matter of truthfulness rather than property.). Copyright and patent law were invented to facilitate business but have created a kind of “have your cake and eat it” concept - which is anathema to traditional moral systems - for the same reason as usury.

]]> By: Andrew Kippen http://www.livedigitally.com/2007/07/03/marketing-morality-is-hard-why-the-future-of-music-is-free/#comment-168428 Andrew Kippen Thu, 05 Jul 2007 16:45:11 +0000 http://www.livedigitally.com/2007/07/03/marketing-morality-is-hard-why-the-future-of-music-is-free/#comment-168428 Another point that I as a media consumer feel is neglected is the fact that at a brick and mortar store you can't listen to a CD before you buy it (aside from the selections of the month, or the staff picks kiosk that they've set up). To me this is akin to buying a painting by a painter, after having only seen 1/10th of the actual painting. And then if you don't like it, you can't take it back. I prefer to use services like eMusic and iTunes to purchase music because I can preview what I'm buying. If it's a group that I like I try and support them by going to their shows, spreading the word about their music, and purchasing merchandise at the shows so Best Buy, the Record Company, et al. aren't getting the majority of the profit. Another point that I as a media consumer feel is neglected is the fact that at a brick and mortar store you can’t listen to a CD before you buy it (aside from the selections of the month, or the staff picks kiosk that they’ve set up).

To me this is akin to buying a painting by a painter, after having only seen 1/10th of the actual painting. And then if you don’t like it, you can’t take it back.

I prefer to use services like eMusic and iTunes to purchase music because I can preview what I’m buying. If it’s a group that I like I try and support them by going to their shows, spreading the word about their music, and purchasing merchandise at the shows so Best Buy, the Record Company, et al. aren’t getting the majority of the profit.

]]> By: Mark Evans http://www.livedigitally.com/2007/07/03/marketing-morality-is-hard-why-the-future-of-music-is-free/#comment-168135 Mark Evans Wed, 04 Jul 2007 19:20:32 +0000 http://www.livedigitally.com/2007/07/03/marketing-morality-is-hard-why-the-future-of-music-is-free/#comment-168135 Jeremy, I don't get out to too many shows these days but after seeing my brother's band, Freeflow, and Amos Lee last weekend, it's clear the real money in music is live performances because they're not digital commodities that you can easily consume. Instead, the live experience is limited by whether an artist plays near you and whether you can buy tickets. As much as the music industry wants to continue selling CDs, digital downloads, etc., a future of free music and paid concerts makes a lot more sense - at least to me. Jeremy,
I don’t get out to too many shows these days but after seeing my brother’s band, Freeflow, and Amos Lee last weekend, it’s clear the real money in music is live performances because they’re not digital commodities that you can easily consume. Instead, the live experience is limited by whether an artist plays near you and whether you can buy tickets. As much as the music industry wants to continue selling CDs, digital downloads, etc., a future of free music and paid concerts makes a lot more sense - at least to me.

]]> By: Ricky Cadden http://www.livedigitally.com/2007/07/03/marketing-morality-is-hard-why-the-future-of-music-is-free/#comment-168074 Ricky Cadden Wed, 04 Jul 2007 13:26:16 +0000 http://www.livedigitally.com/2007/07/03/marketing-morality-is-hard-why-the-future-of-music-is-free/#comment-168074 I think the biggest reason that people don't think about paying for music, specifically online, is the radio. We're groomed to expect music for free, and then comes internet radio and it's the same thing. It's not illegal to tape record a radio broadcast and listen to it later, but it IS illegal to download the music, thereby effectively having the same thing as a cassette tape, only more organized. It's the same thing with video. Downloading movies seems wrong, but TV shows doesn't. Why? Because anyone can pop a VHS into the VCR (or setup the DVR) and record a TV show, what's the difference in that and storing it on your machine and using it on other machines? I agree that it needs to be ad-supported. Partially because I make my living selling those 30s commercials in videos, but whatever. :) I think the biggest reason that people don’t think about paying for music, specifically online, is the radio. We’re groomed to expect music for free, and then comes internet radio and it’s the same thing. It’s not illegal to tape record a radio broadcast and listen to it later, but it IS illegal to download the music, thereby effectively having the same thing as a cassette tape, only more organized.

It’s the same thing with video. Downloading movies seems wrong, but TV shows doesn’t. Why? Because anyone can pop a VHS into the VCR (or setup the DVR) and record a TV show, what’s the difference in that and storing it on your machine and using it on other machines?

I agree that it needs to be ad-supported. Partially because I make my living selling those 30s commercials in videos, but whatever. :)

]]> By: University Update - DRM - Marketing Morality is Hard: why the future of music is free http://www.livedigitally.com/2007/07/03/marketing-morality-is-hard-why-the-future-of-music-is-free/#comment-167901 University Update - DRM - Marketing Morality is Hard: why the future of music is free Tue, 03 Jul 2007 19:54:39 +0000 http://www.livedigitally.com/2007/07/03/marketing-morality-is-hard-why-the-future-of-music-is-free/#comment-167901 [...] YouTube Link to Article drm Marketing Morality is Hard: why the future of music is free » Posted at Jeremy Toeman’s LIVEdigitally on Tuesday, July 03, 2007 Marketing Morality is Hard: why the future of music is free 3rd July 2007 by Jeremy Toeman I recently had a lengthy discussion with my Rabbi ... , then the problem the music industry faces is deeper than availability, access, DRM, synching, devices View Entire Article » [...] [...] YouTube Link to Article drm Marketing Morality is Hard: why the future of music is free » Posted at Jeremy Toeman’s LIVEdigitally on Tuesday, July 03, 2007 Marketing Morality is Hard: why the future of music is free 3rd July 2007 by Jeremy Toeman I recently had a lengthy discussion with my Rabbi … , then the problem the music industry faces is deeper than availability, access, DRM, synching, devices View Entire Article » [...]

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