Clear Channel New World Order....?

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RICK FITZPATRICK

RICK FITZPATRICK

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I was wondering which forum to put this in. This looks like the right place.
For those musicians still believing in the system that allows musicians a source of important political commentary radio play...... watch your politics and or lyrics. That is if you want radio play. Big brother Bush is "listening". In fact, due the Patriot act, publishing, art, music and other forms of "free speech" are now under the umbrella of "Un-American" interpretation. Welcome to the New McCarthyism. Don't believe it? You will soon. I have never paid much attention to this sort of stuff untill the last few months. Now my eyes are wide open. There is some real crap happening out there. After watching a Senatorial commission question Ashcroft about the actions of the government concerning the Patriot Act, I am more convinced than ever, that even musicians right to "free speech", at least as far as radio play is concerned, will be under the scrutiny of the FBI, and censorship via conglomerate media control is already underway. Don't think it is? Maybe this will "enlighten" you. Good luck to all of you.

http://www.counterpunch.org/landau05132003.html
 
okay, I'm as much a tree huggin' left/green norml dude as anyone dedicating their life to making music... but...

could you please point to exactly which sections of USAPATRIOT deal with sound recordings, specifically where it deals with speech at all? Don't mean to call you to task, I think you have every reason to be angry, the only way to truly effect change is to know exactly what you're up against.

The new FCC regs that are pending in congress right now, the stuff that's steepening the fines for indecency and trying to make the broadcast regs applicable to cable and satellite providers (ie, no more sopranos or the shield, and shutting down Howard Stern wherever he goes) are very scary moves against free speech. They also haven't passed yet.

Anyhow, as far as I can tell from my numerous readings of the many amendments to existing statutes that comprise USAPATRIOT, there's nothing in there about music at all. The DMCA is another story though.

It's entirely possible I'm wrong... just point me to the code.
Thanks.
 
Clear Channel Communications is much more a threat to musicians everywhere than the government. It is the government that allows CCC to get away with what they are, but the Clinton administration was doing it as much as the Bush administration. You can't put a party line on everything. Don't believe me? I have specific examples of things CCC was doing during Clintons years that the FCC then let them get away with. I'm sure you can google and find out yourself, but CCC has owned the music world now completely for over 10 years, and Bush was in office only the last 4 of those.
ONE such personal example. In 1996, BUOS was to play a concert in Cincinnati sponsored by Federated Dept Stores and Q-102, a non CCC station, all to benefit the local United Way. When CCC heard of the concert they clearly stated that if Q102 was allowed to sponsor this concert and it continued, they would not allow airplay of any BOUS songs nationwide. BOUS had at least 3 or 4 songs at that time on nationwide rotation, and couldnt afford to lose the national audience, thus CCC bullyed the concert into not happening, and lost all the money the charity would have gotten from it.
Now who was president in 1996...hmmmm.

I got more if you dont believe me. Republicans are not your enemy. Democrats are not your enemy. Clear Channel Communications IS YOUR ENEMY.

H2H

By the way, did you know that Clear Channel Communications just patented the act of recording your concerts and selling copies of the performance afterwards? They say they will take ANY band to court and strike legal action if they record THEIR OWN music and sell it after concerts. YOU CAN'T RECORD YOUR OWN MUSIC AND SELL IT OR THEY WILL SUE YOU.

Whose your enemy?
 
For you too lazy to click a link:) :

Los Angeles, (May 27, 2004)— Recent headlines report that corporate mega giant Clear Channel Entertainment has announced they have purchased a patent making it illegal for any band to record their own live show, and sell that recording day of show at the venue, unless the band pays Clear Channel. Now virtually all performing artists including bands like the Pixies, Billy Idol, and even Bruce Springsteen run the risk that if they record their own shows at any venue in the country, then sell the CD’s that same night, Clear Channel can and will go after the artists and make them pay. Clear Channel’s Instant Live director Steve Simon has made it very clear that, “It is a business, and it's not going to be ‘we have the patent, now everybody can use it for free.’”

The “David” to Clear Channel’s “Goliath” is independent live recording label Kufala Recordings. Led by label president, Brady Lahr, an outspoken champion of the ‘indie artist’, Kufala actually stands the most to gain by Clear Channel’s outrageous assertion. Kufala Recordings provides a major loophole for fans and artists who do not want to be manipulated and controlled by Clear Channel Entertainment. Through Kufala, fans can place orders at the venue and the product is delivered within 2 weeks. Kufala’s releases are multi-track live mixes recorded at the show, that have been studio mastered and creatively approved by the artist--most albums are double disc sets and all come in a sleekly designed eco-friendly sleeve, each featuring unique artwork. These high quality ‘authorized bootlegs’ are also available for download on all major music sites from I-tunes to Net Music, an independent digital music distributor.

Lahr explains, “Unlike the Clear Channel model of recording and burning CDs at the venue, we simply record the music, take it back to our studio for a proper mix and master, then ship the live show recordings out to our artist’s fans. Fans place CD orders at the venue before, during and after the show. They know they will be getting a great recording and that the artist has approved the master. They also know that the band actually owns the recording and will be paid for sure. As artists and fans begin to figure out just how evil the Clear Channel patent is, our business will open up even faster.”

Kufala has drawn a fighting line in the sand and is now calling on independent artists and labels as well as artist organizations to challenge Clear Channel’s patent and its grave monopolistic implications in the music industry. Kufala, a “David” among entertainment industry “Goliaths” is now the only label with the ability to give artists a real alternative to Clear Channel. Kufala and other leaders in the music industry believe that the antitrust implications of Clear Channel’s live recording patent are far reaching. “Clear Channel Claims to own the patent but it will most likely be struck down in court at the first law suit. Lawmakers need to take heed because in fact, Clear Channel is really using their monopoly in the market to powerfully restrain trade above and beyond the patent issue,” explains Lahr. The Kufala business model is not directly affected by Clear Channel’s recent patent however Kufala has experienced first hand Clear Channel’s ability to restrain trade when they barred Kufala from recording at one of their venues—a restrain which occurred regardless of the fact that the venue did not have recording capability not to mention that the artist, their major label, and a non Clear Channel affiliate Radio Station all requested Kufala’s Services.

Lahr is making it known loud and “clear” to every label and artist that Kufala offers the definitive alternative to Clear Channel’s claim to a monopoly on live show recordings, with their own ‘Authorized Bootlegs System.’ Jason Pinsky, another principal at Kufala points out, “We may be the little independent guy here but Clear Channel is laying claim to be able to control an artist’s ability to record and sell their music at their own shows. This is the most outrageous example of Clear Channel’s monopoly in the music industry yet, especially since Clear Channel has already taken over all the major outdoor venues and most of the radio stations and related play lists. Next Clear Channel will claim it has a patent on allowing artists to sing in their own showers!”
 
I feel like such an ass, second post playing debunker on this thread.

Okay, I believe they applied for, and may even have been awarded the patent erroneously, but, just like microsofts patent on "double clikcing" its not likley to be enforceable. In order for a patent to be granted and enforced the patent needs to be something that is new and useful.

Novelty and usefulness. They must be both to be considered patentable.
It also has to be something that is non-obvious.

Now, since dead heads, phish fans, the entire mini-disc industry, high school choir concerts and many other bands have been doing this for years... I say to clear channel if indeed they've been granted that patent... "try to enforce it."

click here USPTO

in case you think I might be talking out of my ass.

Anyhow, I did a quick search for Clear channels patent... I couldn't find it, but I'm sure its there somewhere, if you have any specifics, I'll check the patent / app db's and see what the language of the patent itself is.

Cheers,
Rich
 
I found the patent!

Straight from the horses mouth. To those unfamiliar with patents, the top stuff is pretty much PTO legaleze. If you scroll down to the description you get to the english explaination, which starts with a diatribe on the shortcomings of recording a concert and burning it to a cd... then gets into the meat of the invention... There's also the summary that basically breaks it down.
 
which actually seemed fine right down to the last paragraph that essentially says, and "you can use anything to do this, PT rigs, laptops, analogue tape..."

I think somebody fell asleep at the wheel there, but ultimately, if they have a particular rig that does everything they say, they could sue for infringement on someone useing exactly that rig, or something substantially similar, but... that last sentence is overbroad, and likely unenforceable as written.
 
i smell a class action lawsuit.....lets see if we can get howard stern to be the spokesperson
 
its really amazing how a company not in my own state can try to destroy small parts of the local economy. i wonder when people in this country will resort to terrorist tactics and start kidnapping top company executives. I'm not saying i support that.....i like it when company execs turn on their own company and become whistleblowers like in the enron scandal. clear channel is probably doing something else illegal and it would be nice if their execs would shoot themselves or jump out of windows.
 
Hello again. You are ALL missing the real point. Clear Channel is simply one more tool in an arsenal of tools that the elite of this world are using to lie, cheat, steal, accuse, and imprison, all of which are used to control and manipulate the worlds masses.

Here is the real point.

http://www.apfn.org/apfn/reserve.htm

If you have the nerve, spend some time reading this. You will then discover the relationships in this world.
Let me say this though. I never intended on posting this here, as it is not relevant to music, as such. But since this thread has already come this far, what the hell. Call it what you will. My journey has already opened my eyes to the truth. What has happened in the last 4 years, is proof that the real war of this world is raging. This link is only the primer. Good luck on your journey should you decide to find out for yourself. However, if you have one shread of common sense, you will never be the same person again.
fitZ
 
I get your point man but how do you combat this? Voting does'nt seem to help. People including major businesses think with thier wallet. You don't like it, don't by thier product. Or rather don't listen to cleare channel stations and let it be known why. It's called Boycott. If Clear Channel Buys every Radio station in your town, throw away your radio, remove it from your car and spread the word. If clear channel buys a record company, don't buy thier records. If Clear channel sponsors an event, don't go to it. Tell everyone that you know why you are boycotting. Hurt thier wallet. Write letters to clear Channel advertisers and let them know that they will be throwing away thier money and that you are going ot boycott them as well. If that means that you can't shop at Safeway or the Gap or buy a Ford then so be it. It is not easy but it is the only way that you can take action against them. Boycott, it works
 
Ccc...

The only way to beat CCC is to decide against partnering with them. CCC (and the Big 5) decide which artists WILL make it big. The only way to combat them is to distribute your wares through independent record shops, and online.

I would also highly suggest trying to get ANY radio play that isn't CCC. That story about BROU sucks, but it furthers my own convictions to stay away from CCC. I know if you want to "make it big" right now, you'll have to go on commercial radio, but I think the tides are changing, and the more they alienate people, the stronger the independent community gets.
 
independent music....i think the hardest thing about independent music is that theres not much consolidational promoting among them.

ok that was just one way of thinking....the another way of thinking is that mainstream music is on everything. commercials, radio, tv shows. and I'm bound to hear a song i like vs. independent music that has little access to these elements, i guess, so i don't hear it until the person "sells out" and goes pop. i never heard of liz phair until that song "why cant i" that plays on vh1. maybe its because i never took the time to look through a bunch of independent music sites but i just dont feel like listening to a whole bunch of shit to find something i like.
 
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