Levy on portable media players?

[Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman]

Well at least it only happens to Microsoft Zune, but who knows what will happen tommorrow?

Yesterday, Microsoft agreed to share revenue from Zune sales with record labels and artists. Forcing the issue was Universal Music Group, which at deadline is the only label named in the program. UMG refused to license its music to the Zune unless it could receive a percentage of each device sold, in addition to standard music licensing fees for downloads and subscriptions.

and:

"These devices are just repositories for stolen music, and they all know it," UMG chairman/CEO Doug Morris says. "So it's time to get paid for it."

I guess Zune owners reserve all the rights to pirate music like crazy, since, you know, they already PAY for it.

[Dark Silver]

Wow.....

and with that lovely quote by Mr Doug Morris - we now have clear, concise evidence of what they think of the consumer.

Fuck you Mr Morris.
Fuck you and yours very very much.

Of course, obviously no one who buys a Zune or a IPod or any other MP3 player could EVER have actually purchased a CD legally, and just ripped the music themselves through something like..oh..windows media player 11 and uploaded it.....

[Soontir948]

Microsoft is working with all major and independent labels to establish similar revenue-sharing agreements. According to published reports, UMG is expected to receive more than $1 for each $250 device and sources at UMG have confirmed that half of all the proceeds from the device's sales will be shared equally among all its artists.

Wait, out of at least $1, at least $0.50 will be divided among all their artists? That's pretty damn low in which sparks the question, what's the point?

Or if it's half the price of each player, how will MS even make money?

[frigidmagi]

Or if it's half the price of each player, how will MS even make money?

Easy, they won't. This stinks of Hollywood verus the VCR all over again.

[Dark Silver]

Microsoft is working with all major and independent labels to establish similar revenue-sharing agreements. According to published reports, UMG is expected to receive more than $1 for each $250 device and sources at UMG have confirmed that half of all the proceeds from the device's sales will be shared equally among all its artists.

Wait, out of at least $1, at least $0.50 will be divided among all their artists? That's pretty damn low in which sparks the question, what's the point?

Or if it's half the price of each player, how will MS even make money?

Yeah, it looks to be half the price of the Zune itself, every time one is bought, they have to give the UMG over 50% of the price of the player, which equates to .50 of every dollar the thing is worth.

I see no other reason their doing this except to get as much cash in their grubby little hands as possible.

It's like the RIAA getting copyright money for music they don't even own (from independant artists) because the song was played on the internet radio because "their the only entity authorized by the government to obtain those fees". Of course, those artist won't see a penny of those fees unless they join the RIAA....

[frigidmagi]

If I was an independent artist I would sue.

[Dark Silver]

I would also, except i don't think the indies can AFFORD to sue.

Literally, the RIAA has millions and millions of dollars they can blow on lawyer fees, while the indies artist......

yeah, they don't have much at all.

it doesn't help that it was held up in court already that the RIAA is the one who collects those fees, the only ones who can, and they do so greedily even if they don't own the music in question.

It's fucking disgusting the shit they've managed to get put to their benefit...

[B4UTRUST]

Seeing as how I bought a zune....I'm glad I bought it before this shit happened.

Wonder if I can use this as an excuse to pirate music since technically it's already paid for by zune owners.