EMI's 'New Approach' To The Internet Looks A Lot Like The Old Approach

from the sue-sue-sue-sue dept

Mon, Jun 30th 2008 4:25am — Mike Masnick

Apparently, EMI is finding it harder than expected to shackle its lawyers. The major record label was taken over by private equity guys who claimed they were going to take a new approach to the music industry, pointing to examples like Radiohead as the way to go. The company has made a few steps in the right direction -- such as threatening to leave the RIAA and the IFPI, as well as hiring some tech savvy talent. But, it just keeps sending out those lawyers filing all sorts of questionable lawsuits.

The latest is that EMI has sued both Hi5 and VideoEgg over user-uploaded videos that include some EMI music. Of course, under the DMCA, these sites are not responsible for any infringement from its users -- and if EMI has a legal beef with anyone, it would be those who uploaded the content. But, of course, it sues the companies who might actually have money. That "new approach" to the industry is looking an awful lot like the old approach. EMI is going to learn that the results are about the same too. Pissing off your fans and the websites that actually help promote your acts isn't going to go very far.

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Filed Under: copyright, lawsuits, music, video
Companies: emi, hi5, videoegg

9 Comments

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SteveD, 30 Jun 2008 @ 4:41am

and not forgetting the artists...
The new EMI approach has been quite desructive internally. With the push for digital distribution that more often then not grand less royalties, many artists contracted to the company are feeling marginalised.

Joss Stone is in the middle of a big fight to escape her EMI contract, even going as far to throw her support behind online piracy in an interview with a french website (much to the supprise of the interviewer).

http://blogs.tn.com.ar/internet/archives/2008/06/joss_stone_y_la_pirateria_en_la_re d.html
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Anonymous Coward, 30 Jun 2008 @ 5:26am

Re: and not forgetting the artists...
TechDirt covered that bit as well. Of course being from Slashdot I didnt' RTFA in that one, so I had thought that was a TV interview.

It is looking like EMI will either lead the way for change, or implode and show what is in store for the other labels if they don't adapt.

Either way would be win-win for the artists and the consumer.
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Micheál, 30 Jun 2008 @ 5:28am

@SteveD
very interesting interview all right. I must ask though, how did you figure that that was a French site? The text is in Spanish, the blogger speaks in Spanish, and the url ends with .com.ar (Argentine address). My guess is that it's not French.
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Tech Search Maniac, 30 Jun 2008 @ 5:31am

EMI seems to be becoming a very litigious company - suing everyone that they feel they can make some quick money from
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SteveD, 30 Jun 2008 @ 5:41am

Re: @SteveD
Ah, my bad. Didn't pay attention, just assumed.
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Anonymous Coward, 30 Jun 2008 @ 7:43am

Somewhat off topic...
Who was the wizard who introduced DCMA to Congress? I want to kick them in the nuts. Talk about a waste of taxpayer resources for a business problem.

So in the Creative and Content businesses, its necessary to continually replace your product before someone else does. DCMA works against that fundamental need of the Creative and Content Businesses.
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BillDem, 30 Jun 2008 @ 7:58am

Maybe EMI is mid-transition and just in chaos?
I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt for a short period of time, but they need to get their legal team under control quickly to show they are sincere about changing. In my opinion the best way would be to fire most of their lawyers outright and make the process very public. If I see a record company say they are changing their litigious ways and then they actually fire most of their lawyers publicly, THAT would get my attention and interest up immediately. Actions speak louder than words. If they keep a big legal team around, they obviously have plans to use them again.
It would be nice to see EMI do the right thing now and possibly survive the coming music industry apocalypse. If they find they just can't change, I guess they'll just be one more dinosaur corporation to throw on the celebratory bonfire at the end of it all.
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The SEO Kid, 30 Jun 2008 @ 9:37am

lol
I don't know whats funnier, the terrible attempts by the music companies to further alienate their fans by grossly misused litigation or the joss stone video. i hope that the head of BMI gets to see that video.
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John Wilson, 1 Jul 2008 @ 9:35am

When your business model fails...sue!
Most of this activity, as Mike and others have pointed out before seems to be more along the line of we aren't making enough out of our business model so it's everyone else and we're gonna sue their butts off.

The recording industry has had pretty much a free ride on things for nearly a century now and they want that to continue. No matter how much it hurts music fans/consumers or the artists themselves. Neither of which the industry cares two whits about.

ttfn

John
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