AKMA’s Random Thoughts

The Old Bosses

Re-reading Dan Bricklin’s excellent, excellent analysis of the entertainment industries’ responses to digital reproduction and transmission — oh, he’s so right — put me in mind of a clarification. Whereas the Industry claims to speak on behalf of performers whose livelihoods hang in the balance, in fact the Industry is speaking on its own behalf as the broker that determines which performers get paid how much (and appropriates a sizable proportion, perhaps an unconscionable proportion) of the revenue stream for that brokerage fee.

Without the Industry, performers would still be paid, as Dan says. They’be paid differently. On the other hand, there would be a whole lot of high-living Industry executives who would be out of jobs. (thanks for the link, David.)