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View Full Version : BBC "devalues" music by releasing free Beethoven tracks

SirFozzie
07-13-2005, 01:57 AM
Link to Article (pay for download) from English Paper "The Independent" (http://news.independent.co.uk/media/article298067.ece)

The BBC has been lambasted by classical music labels for making all nine of Beethoven's symphonies available for free download over the Internet.

This week the BBC will announce there have been more than a million downloads of the symphonies during the month-long scheme. But the initiative has infuriated the bosses of leading classical record companies who argue the offer undermines the value of music and that any further offers would be unfair competition.

In other words.. By releasing public domain workand (gasp) ENCOURAGING people to download it for free, EVEN IF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO IT (Beethoven is of course, long since dead, and his symphonies are in the public domain, and the BBC Philarmonic Orchestra recorded these symphonies for the BBC).. IS WRONG AND UNFAIR TO BIG BUSINESS.

What fucking twits.
SirFozzie
07-13-2005, 02:02 AM
Dola: This is proof that should one day, free or low pay independent artists/musicians/sites threaten the monopoly position of the Record Cartel represented by the RIAA, they will seek to have them banned as a threat to the time honored traditions of gouging the customer, utter control of what they listen to, and how they listen to it.

I may not have agreed with some of author Robert Heinlein's views on government.. but he had a quote that usually gets mangled by folks on my side.. but is no less true.

* There has grown up in the minds of certain groups in this country the notion that because a man or corporation has made a profit out of the public for a number of years, the government and the courts are charged with the duty of guaranteeing such profit in the future, even in the face of changing circumstances and contrary to public interest. This strange doctrine is not supported by statute or common law. Neither individuals nor corporations have any right to come into court and ask that the clock of history be stopped, or turned back.
o Life Line, 1939
SirFozzie
07-13-2005, 02:16 AM
Here's a WONDERFUL quote from one of the record label heads who are yelling their head off about the BBC

There is the obvious issue that it is devaluing the perceived value of music. You are also leading the public to think that it is fine to download and own these files for nothing."
ThunderingHERD
07-13-2005, 02:23 AM
"The Beethoven Symphonies downloads service has now finished. Thank you for your interest and feedback.

There are currently no plans to make the Beethoven Symphony downloads available again in the future."
SirFozzie
07-13-2005, 02:30 AM
"The Beethoven Symphonies downloads service has now finished. Thank you for your interest and feedback.

There are currently no plans to make the Beethoven Symphony downloads available again in the future."

Rumor has it that they will do so again with a Bach series later in the year.
hukarez
07-13-2005, 09:50 PM
If it's free....

...it's for me!
sterlingice
07-14-2005, 02:38 AM
Very cool. :)

(tho, comparing this to file sharing of modern songs is completely null and void since this is public domain)

SI
SirFozzie
07-14-2005, 03:19 AM
Very cool. :)

(tho, comparing this to file sharing of modern songs is completely null and void since this is public domain)

SI

to you and me, yes.. but to the labels? Anything that competes with them.. BAD!