Caving to industry pressure and the threat of job loss, the BBC has decided to limit downloads in its upcoming Bach series. The controversy is that a public broadcasting network would in this manner forsake the educational agenda begun with the Beethoven download series. No doubt whatever downloads are allowed will be incomplete in some way.
That a public broadcasting network, funded with tax payer dollars would favor the recording corporations (and it is multi-faceted for sure) over a public which doesn't really know what they're missing is disturbing.
The fantastic part of the Beethoven giveaway was that its audio 'freeness' made a stuffy old dead guy cool.
I'd like to see some real stats about the cost (percieved cost) to the industry. I would be willing to bet that if anything, there was a net gain, if not in sales, in attention, in interest, in a new fascination with one of the wonders of the universe, previously available only by chance (on the radio) or by spending money.
The idea that you would give away such phenomenal beauty and then stop the process because of corporate pressure is frankly, shocking. Booo....
Conlon Nancarrow, Reluctant Celebrity
He was humble, reticent, full of integrity, sure of himself, but imposing no expectations on others. Taking John Cage's politics with a grain of salt, he once told me, "Cage isn't really an anarchist, he just doesn't want to be bothered!"