Comments on: Movies & Music: The coming music tax

By: Cheryl D.

Cheryl D. — Tue, 13 May 2008 02:53:06 +0000

I doubt this idea will get any traction. It’s wrong on too many levels (kinda like “taxing” people as a way to pay for the people’s retirement many years down the road–oh wait, we do that–but worse, because there’s even less connection between payers and users).

I chose not even to plug my speakers in when I set up my computer. I have it for text, and use neither music nor video. I don’t own an i-pod, just CDs and cassettes. Charging me for others’ theft would be like jailing me for others’ murder or (when I was a child) spanking me for another child’s lie.

Let the music industry figure this one out, but this is absolutely the wrong answer.

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By: Wiglaf

Wiglaf — Sun, 11 May 2008 19:32:30 +0000

The music industry thinks we need them. They’re all pretty much full of themselves.

Book publishers should tax every person who has access to libraries $5 because we can go borrow a book for free without paying the book publisher anything. Shouldn’t book publishers be going after libraries for allowing people to “steal” their books; aka getting the pleasure from reading them but not paying any fee? Oh, and the libraries themselves should be subject to civil and criminal lawsuits for allowing books and music to be available for anyone to borrow…at least until we’re all taxed for the books we don’t read.

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By: Kwerna

Kwerna — Sun, 11 May 2008 04:25:10 +0000

I don’t mind being taxed for highways. We need highways.

We don’t need the music industry.

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By: Xion

Xion — Sat, 10 May 2008 22:18:02 +0000

I think that music will go the way of radio, then broadcast TV, then cable TV, then the Internet, etc.

These industries all start out uncommercialized. Then a few ads appear, then a few more and before you know it there is almost no content left.

Why shouldn’t the music industry will go the same way? (Hopefully, I am not giving them any ideas).

I believe that advertisers will soon figure this out. Music will then be offered “free”, as long as you listen to an ad at the beginning of each song.

Before long, each song will be more than 50% advertising, much like radio and television and the Internet. Don’t be surprised if ads interrupt the songs in the middle either, like movies and AM radio where ads and brands are interspersed with programming.

Eventually, every song will itself be a jingle of some sort pushing brands on the unsuspecting.

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By: llama

llama — Sat, 10 May 2008 18:49:54 +0000

The business model of the music industry is broken and these companies deserve to go out of business, which they are, just as much as every person that steals the artist’s and company’s products and assets should be prosecuted for theft and punished accordingly – which they are not.

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By: Cameron

Cameron — Sat, 10 May 2008 17:26:26 +0000

I download occasionally, but not even monthly, much less $5/month worth.

If you’re really interested in the digital music industry and the changes facing it and us, check out http://lashawnbarber.com/
She used to focus on politics from a Christian view, but now focuses on mostly secular music.

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By: SteveG

SteveG — Sat, 10 May 2008 15:13:25 +0000

It’s a ridiculous idea.

I don’t ilegally download anything. I do sometimes check CDs out of the library and copy them onto my computer (and in the pre-computer days, record them onto tapes.)

Should everyone with a library card pay $5 a month in a tax or fee for that?

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By: NJLawyer

NJLawyer — Sat, 10 May 2008 15:10:15 +0000

Adios, let me be clear. I love music. I don’t know how to download music.

But I do think those who don’t love music or don’t know how to download music should not be “taxed” for a service they don’t use to support an industry that should find another means to market and/or protect its product. Why should that fall to me? Why should this problem be the responsibility of the government at all?

So, I will meet you at Boston Harbor.

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By: Kyle A

Kyle A — Sat, 10 May 2008 15:06:29 +0000

This plan should be completely and loudly rejected by both liberals and conservatives. Liberals should reject it because it is a way for a big industry to take advantage of the little people. Conservatives should reject it because it is a way for the government to control one more thing.

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By: Terry Pearson

Terry Pearson — Sat, 10 May 2008 14:43:06 +0000

I suppose with that logic, we could also begin to have the government take over the software industry, since many people steal software and “you can’t stop that.” (A little bit of sarcasm there)

Sounds like a way for the RIAA to get there hands permanently in the pockets of hard working Americans. How would the government determine who is a “musician” and deserves the redistribution payment? Would we have another congressional committee for this? I suppose it could fall under the “Ministry of Plenty’s” responsibility.

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