The Future of Music Coalition shares the contemplative spirit of this
holiday season and hopes that this period of reflection will inspire 2002
to be year of regrouping, education and collaboration between the legal,
artistic, academic, technical, and business communities.
As for a recap of last years highlights, even in the midst of economic
downturn and strife within the artistic, technology and business communities,
FMC managed several significant achievements for an organization that
was under-funded and barely a year old.
So much has happened in the past month that this newsletter
seems a bit inconsequential. FMC hopes that you and yours are safe in
the aftermath of the events on September 11th. In the face of the continuing
uncertainty that has always been the climate of the human condition we
embrace the future and recommit ourselves to the task of trying to effect
changes that might improve the lives of citizens and musicians.
Summer’s here and the time is right… for consolidating the major music/tech
companies (Mp3.com, Myplay, and Emusic) securely in the hands of the same
corporations they used to compete with.
Here at FMC we can’t help but wonder how this benefits musicians or consumers?
But first, let’s get down to business.
What an exciting time it is to be alive in the music and technology space.
Everywhere you look there are articles, court cases, testimonials and
hearings raising questions about copyright, ownership and compensation
for creators. What do you think? Maybe the tide is turning? Here at the
FMC we certainly think so.
Things here at the FMC are really spinning. The Future of Music Policy
Summit Conference was a massive success, we’ve swept up the confetti,
and now our real work begins. But first, we must announce that the summit
lives on with webcast, press, and scholarly analysis — in case you missed
what Chuck D dubbed "The Super Bowl of Internet Summits!"
We’ve got an incredibly exciting event planned, The Future of Music Policy
Summit Conference — with the likes of Senator Orrin Hatch, Chuck D, Hilary
Rosen of the RIAA, Michael Robertson of MP3.com, Leonardo Chiariglione
of SDMI, Bill Ivey of the NEA, William Kennard of the FCC, John Perry
Barlow of the EFF, and more than 50 others - Not to mention the 300 musicians
we plan to have in the audience! For a full list go to http://www.futureofmusic.org
and download the PDF for panelists
and times.
This newsletter is dedicated entirely to the Policy Summit. After January
12, when the Summit is just a beautiful memory, we’ll go back to full-time
advocating on behalf of musicians!
What an exciting time it is to be alive. The members of the board of
the Future of Music Coalition have spent the past month waking every morning
to the alarm of possibility and drifting off into the pleasant buzz of
inevitable change. If you’ve been alive in the music/technology space
for the past month you know for yourself how much is happening. So let’s
just get right into it…
It’s been a busy month - so much so that it’s been more than a month
since our last letter. Hopefully when you read about our recent work you’ll
forgive our tardiness. Here are some of the highlights: