Comments on: Your phone rings – pay ASCAP; copyright gone wild

By: Blue Tyson

Blue Tyson — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 03:42:49 +0000

Likely response from the phone companies would be, sure, we’ll do that. However, we will raise your fees by that by + 20%.

By: Jon Jermey

Jon Jermey — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:42:38 +0000

So nice to know that our ASCAP payments are being put to good use. It would be dreadful to see them wasted on paying performers and encouraging new talent.

By: Steve Jordan

Steve Jordan — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:52:21 +0000

Bah. Ringtones don’t even play the entire song. This one is so full of holes the moths won’t eat it!

By: Kate

Kate — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:10:42 +0000

OMG! I’m playing a radio in my office. Do I have to pay a publc performance fee everytime someone walks in?

I agree with both Tony and Bill. Do we have that revolution scheduled yet?

By: Tony

Tony — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:42:15 +0000

Well all I can say is come the revolution, these people are just going to have to be first up against the wall.

By: Bill McHale

Bill McHale — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:30:05 +0000

It is organizations like this that are encouraging the underground file sharing culture. Actions like this make copyright holders look like a kind of mafia looking to extort every possible dime they can from each sale of music they make.

For many, it is starting to seem like copyright holders are dedicated to eliminating fair use. That being the case, it puts the consumer in the role of adversary. Many younger people rightly wonder what the point is of buying music and books if they are going to be sued by the copyright holder anyway?

Granted, in this case, they are suing AT&T, but we know that if the suit succeeds, the price will ultimately be passed on to us.