Entertainment Industry Mourns The End Of 'Hollywood' Howard Berman Being Their Personal Voice In Congress
from the time-to-get-with-the-times dept
We noted after the election that Hollywood's absolute favorite elected official -- "Hollywood" Howard Berman -- lost his seat. He was often referred to as "the Representative from Disney" for his unwavering support of passing legislation that helped the big Hollywood studios and record labels over the public interest. For many of us interested in the public benefit, his loss seemed like a good deal -- but, of course, for folks at the big movie studios and record labels, it was a disaster. Just witness this unintentionally hilarious Politico piece by former MPAA exec and current Universal Music 'Executive VP of Public Policy,' Matt Gerson, which read like a love letter to Berman, where he reveals what everyone knew already: that Berman and the MPAA were apparently in constant communication, with Berman regularly being called into MPAA meetings to help.I first met Howard Berman when I was with the Motion Picture Association of America. I remember Jack Valenti uttering a phrase that I would hear repeatedly over 20 years: “What does Howard think?” When we have an idea for a compromise, someone runs it by Howard. When we develop a strategy, someone is tasked to get Howard’s reaction. When we speak with his congressional colleagues, the usual response from Democrats and Republicans alike is, “Let me grab Howard on the floor and see what he is thinking.”The article is also a little wacky, in that it both highlights Berman's supposed "attention to detail," as well as his apparently frequent failures to know the names of the people he was talking about.
Either way, you can understand why the legacy entertainment industry companies are sad to be losing such a close "friend," but aren't we all a little better off with Representatives who actually pay attention to what's best for the public, rather than just what's best for a few companies?
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Filed Under: congress, copyright, howard berman, matt gerson, politics
Companies: mpaa, universal music
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
Because the song is damn appropriate right now.
Na na na na...
Hey, hey, yeah...
Goodbye!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Because the song is damn appropriate right now.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Because the song is damn appropriate right now.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Because the song is damn appropriate right now.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Because the song is damn appropriate right now.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Because the song is damn appropriate right now.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Because the song is damn appropriate right now.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
I hate to complain...
Sorry but that doesn't look correct to me.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: I hate to complain...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: I hate to complain...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: I hate to complain...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
But I am not worried about Howard. I am sure he is signing on with Hollywood and Disney as a lobbyist to continue in the finest congressional traditions.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
It's YOUR fault, Mike! You won't give us the solution!
And now a personal note for Modest Mike "Streisand Effect" Masnick:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect
To properly honor Mike, I propose "Masnick Defect" as term for out-of-bounds self-aggrandizement such as years of trying to turn a single quip into fame.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: It's YOUR fault, Mike! You won't give us the solution!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: It's YOUR fault, Mike! You won't give us the solution!
How's your day been?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: It's YOUR fault, Mike! You won't give us the solution!
If that doesn't pump your 'nads, how about the laws of supply and demand? You remember those?
If your studio isn't confident that it can earn $100M from a film, maybe it shouldn't make it.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: It's YOUR fault, Mike! You won't give us the solution!
"If your studio isn't confident that it can earn $100M from a film, maybe it shouldn't make it."
Exactly. Few movies need to have such inflated budgets (which have far outpaced inflation for bigger blockbusters), and many films are highly profitable without any such stupid figure attached. Those that do need to be attractive to audiences that will pay the higher profit theatrical and purchase fee, or reduce the fixed cost so that you can make the costs back more easily with streaming and lower margin distribution. That's what the market should be doing - better products that people are willing to pay a premium for, or more control over initial costs so that they're profitable at cheaper prices to consumers.
Instead we have morons like ootb whining that they need government enforcement to support inflated costs and wasteful spending, and that it's the people pointing out the mistakes that need to come up with the solutions on their behalf. Pathetic.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: It's YOUR fault, Mike! You won't give us the solution!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: It's YOUR fault, Mike! You won't give us the solution!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: It's YOUR fault, Mike! You won't give us the solution!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: It's YOUR fault, Mike! You won't give us the solution!
How many weeks did it take you to come up with that one. Your parents and professors would be proud. How many times did you point to the post and said look what i came up with and posted all by myself!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: It's YOUR fault, Mike! You won't give us the solution!
Did you complain to the teacher about the smart kids in class who refused to let you copy off their homework? And to think, you call PIRATES entitled!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: It's YOUR fault, Mike! You won't give us the solution!
This a math question right?
How many times do you have to sell something for 10 cents in order to earn 100.000.000 $
Lemme see, 1 billion times?
Do I win anything Blue for being the first to come up with the right answer?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: It's YOUR fault, Mike! You won't give us the solution!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: It's YOUR fault, Mike! You won't give us the solution!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Brad Sherman
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brad_Sherman#Tenure
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Brad Sherman
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Brad Sherman
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Brad Sherman
Are you trying to be intentionally ironic there?
That's like saying that intensely uncivilized rhetoric in presidential elections is killing America starting with Adams vs Jefferson.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Boycott The MAFIAA !
Buy and Support Local and Indie Art please.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Well it's very difficult to track of people names when you are try to keep track of all the dead president names they keep sending you..
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
"I say to you that Howard Berman is to the MPAA and the American public as the smile of the Boston strangler is to the woman he finds home alone."
More fitting, I believe.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
OOTB, your raging Mike-hard-on is showing
[ link to this | view in chronology ]