Comments on: UMG digital chief on iTunes, DRM, and Android

q&a Rio Caraeff says Android owners buy a lot of music, lawsuits don't solve music piracy and Universal Music Group will strengthen links to YouTube.

[dascha1]

Wow, sounds like he'd done just about everything according to his PR. Though, didn't see his give on accessibility for some reason. Isn't that the real future?

[Penguinisto]

So this excuses the titanic funding that Universal/UMG gave to the RIAA, right?

Talk up about how you just love the new tech and loving to help accommodate it, but then pay the RIAA to do all of your dirty work, demanding extortion fees from innocent people under threat of litigation, then using underhanded (and often illicit) tactics in court to win at any cost, leaving the victims.under a crushing debt (even if they win).

So, Universal... what have you done to eliminate that? the RIAA is you, and you are the RIAA (yes, as only a member, but their name and yours are linked).

Until you do something about that aspect? I'll buy only indie and local music, thanks - you can keep your catalog, as I do not want any part of you or your business. As time goes by, I've learned that your pre-manufactured bubble-gum formulaic attempts at music-turned-product is pretty undesirable anyway.

Fortunately, I live somewhere (PDX) that has a living culture and a definite scene from which to avoid you and your ilk, yet have a life that is quite full of wonderful, interesting, and very intriguing music.

/P

[thelemurking]

I agree with you, but it's nice to see someone in the music industry that has a clue about technology.

[Penguinisto]

Indeed - they seem to be finally getting it.

OTOH, unless/until they disable their efforts with the RIAA to extort money from ordinary folks, it's all just talk.

[jonathan_bennion]

How would a revenue stream work w/ something like product placement via A&R (the markets that would love this will raise their hands up), selling higher bitrate formats via existing channels, higher frequency of track releases by artists (instead of the one "album" per year concept by an artist)?

...and why hasn't American Idol concept been incorporated by other markets/genres via the web to sell digital music?

[dwayne hoobler]

wow, *new guy same old story.

how are you going to stop theft of your content via p2p piracy? how are you going to stop folk from just getting music for free. i just imaged my friends 2TB home server and now have over 600 full length DVD's and several hundred thousand music files compiled. it's awesome- now with the RIAA out of the pic, I can just download anything for free from sharktank or where ever, faster than taking out my credit card.

wait, how again is mobile going to push music sales when the above is true? folk won't buy media if they can get it for free. this isn't wikipedia- too bad it's not- they seem to have some idea of who they are and how they do. technology is not an adequate driver for revenue- folk who say it is are just plain dumb. technology is kid in the back seat asking his folks to stop for MickyD's cause the sign just flashed by.

new guy at UNIV- a co notoriously packed full of the stupidest, weakest minds in the industry, just added some TECH Nubbie Godzor who never made a dollar on the web...good job. Hi5!

the music industry couldn't find its junk with both hands and a new set of eyes- just wait till this guy goes the way of George Kliavkoff..

http://www.dmwmedia.com/news/2006/08/01/nbc-universal-names-george-kliavkoff-first-chief-digital-officer

guess where he is now? oh yeh, not in his current role..this newb guy will be out on the tiles in less than 6 months. I guarantee it.

[sciontcya]

It would be nice if some of you could recognize that SOME people are trying to change - and for the better of the customer.
Enough of hating on the labels - I think your anger is better spent towards the banks that gave out bad loans, car-makers that can't compete, etc.
This is a good marker of newer blood in the industry - let's try to encourage this and not give thieves the OK to continue.

[t8]

I think it needs to be said that most pirated music was never going to be a sale in the first place. People have collections of music they don't even like, but was given to them.
I think people who really like something will pay for it if it is fair and easy in my opinion.
There are also other ways to make money from music.
It could turn out that digital may be more lucrative for the record companies than CDs.
In a digital age, music can be more accessible and easier to buy.