SOPA and Content owners having a blackout
Due to the surprisingly impactful anti SOPA blackout on 18 Jan 2012, I was interested to read a proponent of this legislation talking about the impact of content producers & owners having a blackout being more of an impact than removing Wikipedia, Facebook or Google.
This got me to thinking. What would happen if there was no access to popular music, tv & film to the average person. It got me to thinking about living in the dark when there is a power failure.
In our family we got together and had some fantastic family time. Played games, bonded and amused ourselves to such a point that when the power came on, we didn't bother switching on the tv. If I was forced to listen to independent bands or go and watch acts perform in a pub, I'd be fine with it.
Media owners need to watch out as they become more and more irrelevant. The only way they can compete in this age is to make their media available cheaply and legally. No region locking, rights management, serial numbers, activations, certification encryption or usage limitations.
They need to restructure their business around there 2 biggest assets.
1) the consumer (who they should worship and strive to keep engaged and interested)
2) the artist (who give them a reason to exist and a source of product)
They can and still will make money. We are all prepared to reward the artists who entertain us. We are not prepared to subsidise an industry intent on criminalising its customer base.
Fortunately, despite the actions of these crazy lawmakers hell-bent in distorting the internet to serve the interests of the few (1%?), I believe their outdated business models are doomed.
This got me to thinking. What would happen if there was no access to popular music, tv & film to the average person. It got me to thinking about living in the dark when there is a power failure.
In our family we got together and had some fantastic family time. Played games, bonded and amused ourselves to such a point that when the power came on, we didn't bother switching on the tv. If I was forced to listen to independent bands or go and watch acts perform in a pub, I'd be fine with it.
Media owners need to watch out as they become more and more irrelevant. The only way they can compete in this age is to make their media available cheaply and legally. No region locking, rights management, serial numbers, activations, certification encryption or usage limitations.
They need to restructure their business around there 2 biggest assets.
1) the consumer (who they should worship and strive to keep engaged and interested)
2) the artist (who give them a reason to exist and a source of product)
They can and still will make money. We are all prepared to reward the artists who entertain us. We are not prepared to subsidise an industry intent on criminalising its customer base.
Fortunately, despite the actions of these crazy lawmakers hell-bent in distorting the internet to serve the interests of the few (1%?), I believe their outdated business models are doomed.
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