MPAA Matches RIAA In Massive Layoffs

from the couldn't-happen-to-a-nicer-bunch dept

Fri, Mar 13th 2009 6:36am — Mike Masnick

I missed this one when it initially happened, but it looks like the MPAA is following in the footsteps of the RIAA -- who recently laid off a bunch of folks. Apparently the MPAA quickly followed suit and drastically scaled back after the studios cut the MPAA's funding by about 15 to 20%. Apparently some of the entertainment companies are finally realizing that the strategies employed by the RIAA and MPAA (lobbying for favorable laws and suing the crap out of anyone who dares to innovate) aren't actually helping them build a stronger business. Of course, it seems likely that they'll keep making the wrong moves, even at a reduced budget -- but maybe, just maybe, they'll finally start to realize that their recent strategy has been a colossal failure.

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Filed Under: layoffs, mpaa, strategy
Companies: mpaa

29 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 13 Mar 2009 @ 6:55am

It bears repeating that as industry associations (aka, lobbyists) neither the MPAA nor the RIAA are plaintiffs in lawsuits against P2P file sharers. Those lawsuits are brought by various member companies of these two organizations. If fingers are to be pointed, they should be pointed at the companies bringing these suits, and not at the industry associations/organizations.
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- Joe, 13 Mar 2009 @ 7:02am
  
  Re:
  I'm not sure your point is historically correct:
  http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/6774.cfm
  
  Secondly, the identity of the named plaintiff is meaningless. What matters is who financed and orchestrated the litigation. Does anyone really believe it was NOT the industry associations?
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  - Anonymous Coward, 13 Mar 2009 @ 7:28am
    
    Re: Re:
    I believe the following quote from the linked article contradicts your comment:
    
    "Major Hollywood movie studios have filed another round of lawsuits against file sharers it alleges to have distributed copyrighted movies over the Internet."
    
    As has even been noted by Mr. Beckerman, an attorney who is holding the movie and music studios' feet to the fire, that the true parties bringing suit are the studios themselves, and that the terms "RIAA" and "MPAA" are being merely used as a shorthand notation...and not to suggest they are the ones bringing these lawsuits.
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    - ehrichweiss, 13 Mar 2009 @ 8:53am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      Doesn't contradict his comment at all. The studios are "the true parties bringing suit"; that in no way conflicts with the MaFIAA's financing the investigation and promoting litigation. Think of the MaFIAA as a sleazy private investigator and the movie/record industries as their bosses. You wouldn't list the PI on any court documents but you may use their staff as expert witnesses.
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- me, 13 Mar 2009 @ 9:25am
  
  hello karma
  Bottom line.....
  
  Failed business model, evil motives... crap economy.....
  No sympathy is deserved...
  
  let both models fail and die, and then build something new that works..... fuck 'em
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- hegemon13, 13 Mar 2009 @ 11:01am
  
  Re:
  Actually, that's not quite right. They are brought forth by the *AA on behalf of the studio/label. The *AA is doing the legwork, even though the studios/labels are officially the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. Plus, the original John Doe suits are filed by the *AA. Once they discover the identity, that case is withdrawn, and a new case is filed, which is Studio/Label vs. Identified Victim.
  
  Don't fool yourself, the strategy and it's implementation are the *AA's baby.
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Joe, 13 Mar 2009 @ 6:56am

Even the musicians themselves are starting to see the stupidity of the RIAA approach. Check out what Nine Inch Nails is doing with their latest album, brilliant!
http://lawvibe.com/how-musicians-are-causing-copyright-law-controversy/
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- Anonymous Coward, 13 Mar 2009 @ 7:54am
  
  Re:
  That's a fairly old article; Year Zero is no longer NIN's latest album. Check out Ghosts and The Slip, it's pretty good stuff.
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Matt, 13 Mar 2009 @ 7:26am

lobbying laws
I wish I remembered the name of that lobbying law that legalized anti-competitive lobbying. That's the root of all this crap.

Maybe soon people will realize that lobbying in general = stupid/waste.
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- lx, 13 Mar 2009 @ 11:41am
  
  Re: lobbying laws
  That law would probably be the US Constitution - the right to lobby congress is one of the many rights granted under the Constitution. As bad as lobbying may seem in some circumstances, it is not a right you should be so willing to give up as it does have its pluses (ie the ACLU lobbying congress for civil liberties).
  
  The problem with the RIAA/MPAA and government is not with the lobbying, it's with politicians grabbing for power in a private arena - the real root of all this crap is the government putting its nose where it doesn't belong (but this all really has nothing to do with this post).
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Osno, 13 Mar 2009 @ 7:30am

You're being to optimistic, Mike. This will only be used to show how piracy is destroying the entertainment industry, as if MPAA or RIAA had anything to do with entertainment (other than the few amusing spectrials we'll see in the future).
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- Man from Atlanta, 13 Mar 2009 @ 7:45am
  
  companies are finally realizing
  Nothing. They are following the herd and reducing overhead, most likely because either everyone else is doing it, or now is simply a convenient time to do so. There are no tea leaves here to read, and certainly no principled shift in direction.
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Paul Erb, 13 Mar 2009 @ 7:46am

Maginot Line
MPAA and RIAA are not at fault, but they are fighting the last war. Distribution channels, not production, govern how entertainment business works, and the democratization and crowdsourcing of media mean the studios and their associations are a dinosaur lumbering across a hostile landscape.
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Shawn, 13 Mar 2009 @ 7:49am

Finally
Lay-offs that dont make me feel bad for anyone.
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- Anonymous Coward, 13 Mar 2009 @ 7:56am
  
  Re: Finally
  I feel bad for the ones who are now jobless. The *AAs may be scummy entities, but they're still made up by regular people, especially at the level these layoffs likely happened. A fish rots from the head, and the head's still there.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 13 Mar 2009 @ 8:28am
    
    Re: Re: Finally
    "I feel bad for the ones who are now jobless. The *AAs may be scummy entities, but they're still made up by regular people, especially at the level these layoffs likely happened. A fish rots from the head, and the head's still there."
    
    People need to take more responsibility regarding where they work and what they do. If you made your income from one of these organizations and have been laid off - then you got what you deserved in my opinion. Next time care a little more about what kind of organization your dedicating your time and skills too.
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    - Anonymous Coward, 13 Mar 2009 @ 8:43am
      
      Re: Re: Re: Finally
      While I generally agree with you, I tend to have more compassion than that. Regardless of if you think they were morally wrong to accept a job from such an entity, it's still a family that's out on hard times now.
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      - ehrichweiss, 13 Mar 2009 @ 9:06am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Finally
        Screw 'em. Seriously. I didn't feel bad for Steve Irwin when he was killed doing what he chose to do(hell, we all tuned in every week to see if he WOULD get killed...admit it, you did too) so I have no problem laughing at them as they realize they should have thought more about the consequences of their actions. It'd be like feeling sorry for some Wall Street investor who lost their shirt in the economy; I don't care if his 12 year old daughter has to blow the local college football team to help make ends meet. This is a hard lesson for them, sure, but now is their chance to learn from it even though I expect that most will not.
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        Anonymous Coward, 13 Mar 2009 @ 9:28am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Finally
        I don't care
        
        And, as I noted above, that's the difference between you and me. I, too, hope they learn their lesson, but I still feel bad for them.
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Phail, 13 Mar 2009 @ 9:08am

Even their own artists have had enough of these idiots.

http://www.musictank.co.uk/
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Mar 2009 @ 9:35am

fuck'em
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Mar 2009 @ 9:35am

fuck'em
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Mar 2009 @ 10:17am

fuck'em
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Rob, 13 Mar 2009 @ 10:24am

Layoff
As I have stated many times before. I and most of your average people have no lost love for "destroying the entertainment industry" If you buy any item and it is bad you can return it. If you go to a Bruce Willis movie that he was paid $15M to make and sucks, until right on the ticket there is a money back return if the movie is a piece of crap. I do not really have any issue with anyone downloading anything. While 90% of the bands are releasing CDs with maybe two decent songs at the most and still charging $13 for the CD, I have no issue with anyone who downloads that piece of crap because they should not be getting paid for it any way.
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Silver, 13 Mar 2009 @ 10:33am

Ha, let them die.
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Mar 2009 @ 11:33am

How pathetic of a human being are you when you enjoy seeing others fail? Think before you respond.
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- me, 13 Mar 2009 @ 12:58pm
  
  Re: not the people, the model
  How pathetic are you to favor a parasitic monopoly who would and bankrupt college kids and little old ladies.
  
  Unrepentant am I, let the industry die.
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chickenshit, 13 Mar 2009 @ 11:44am

awee how fucking sad. I guess they will have to DL their music now too. Soulseek FTW!
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Mar 2009 @ 1:34pm

normally i hate seeing layoffs but....

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha...made my day.
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