Monetise The Theft.

No aplogies for quoting Bob Lefsetz again. My background in media industries has meant that I've never legitimised the rampant copyright infringement that exists in web 2.0, but nor have I overlooked the whining reaction of media businesses. As Bob rightly argues, their death is not inevitable.


How come we can’t sell tonnage anymore? Is it the splintering of the audience? The lack of attention to radio? The lack of music on MTV? The raw quality?

All of these.

But first and foremost it’s a refusal to monetize acquisition. Demand didn’t suddenly go down. NO ONE who’s released an album this year has hit this sales figure. Is ALL music suddenly crap? No, I’d say most people are getting their music via P2P, disc burning or hard drive swapping. Is putting DRM on the tracks of PAYING customers solving the problem? OF COURSE NOT! You don’t deal with the criminals by limiting the rights of those who are playing by the rules. It’s just that the rules must encompass everybody. Don’t make stealing harder, monetize the theft.