From: Adam 

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=37094

"RECORD COMPANIES are closer to removing restrictions on MP3
distribution over the Internet.

According to iht.com, a meeting of executives in Cannes over the weekend
revealed that the major record labels are wrestling with the question of
unrestricted internet access to content.

John Kennedy, head of the International Federation of the Phonographic
Industry said that this year it is likely at least one of the big names
will experiment with dumping DRM or providing MP3 songs as a way of
generating publicity that could lead to future sales. Apparently the music
business is at a loss as to what to do about the Internet which has
destroyed the monopoly of the leading record producers over the worldwide
distribution of music in the past decade.

Now it seems that the only reason that the music industry has not gone to
such music distribution sooner is because of technology companies which
insist on flogging them DRM systems that they claim is 'hacker proof'. Of
course the music industry executives do not blame themselves for investing
huge amounts of cash in the technological equivalent of snake oil.

However, the music industry has its own religious movement to tackle before
it can make any shift towards DRM free content. The Recording Industry
Association of America is still convinced that it can stop the rot with
expensive and increasingly less supported court cases. Its argument is that
by narrowing fair use definitions rather than widening them it can bring
the Internet to its knees.

RIAA chairman Mitch Bainwol said that 'Fair use' does not extend consumers
the right to become distributors of music. Although the Industry is
starting to notice that consumers are getting increasingly hostile that the
RIAA is starting to tell them that they cannot even distribute content to
their own living room, or protect expensive CD content by copying it for
personal use."

Adam

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