The Real Gate Keepers

The entertainment industry is full of tastemakers and talented individuals but over the years the consumers have been exposed to the real gatekeepers of the industry. The Internet and companies like Napster started a revolution that got associations like the RIAA and The MPAA up in arms over their dissemination practices. No one ever expected music and movies to be totally free but somehow the Internet found a way. The RIAA and The MPAA became the only levee between the art that is made for the public and the methods of actually collecting dollars for that service.

Companies like ASCAP and BMI have a service that allows artists to profit from their art when displayed for public consumption but they don’t necessarily put you in a position to make that money. There services are essential if you want to have your music and videos played on television and radio. The main goal of these associations is to insure the artist and make sure the material he or she creates is protected and paid for at market value. The more a person delves into the entertainment business the less you identify with the consumer at least from a fan perspective. Industry professionals want consumers to pay fair prices and not pirate their product but the web makes it too tempting for many of them.

The MPAA And RIAA must be proactive about techniques that deter piracy and reward genuine purchases. People want value and with more and more content on sites like YouTube people are less likely to go buy a substandard album or even watch T.V for their music videos. Companies like South BY Southwest offer a superior product simply because they empower the artist. A place where you can debut a clothing line a movie, video game or and album is the perfect platform for the fast moving A.D.D culture we live in. I relay on the MPAA and the RIAA to watch out for my interests as a businessman but as a consumer I wonder if they have a remedy for the shift in technology and information sharing.