Necessity and Invention

     While there are certainly many new opportunities for one to license their content given the mass indulgence of the public in video games, brand new forms of advertisement, the different places and ways content is consumed digitally, etc, problems arise when parties are requested to acquiesce as to how the pie is cut. Indeed, everyone must be paid fairly for his or her time and service associated with any product whether it is for the production, manufacture, storage, or delivery but what constitutes fair, and who decides? Are the producers and license holders of the content due a larger piece of the pie for providing the content, without which there would be no product for service? Is a distributor to receive a larger piece of the pie due to their contracts and connections with stores, kiosks and other providers, or perhaps fees associated with commerce?

     There seems to be a lot of forward marching towards the technological advancement of media distribution in an effort to keep up with the full speed run of a concurrently growing appetite and consumption of digital media but there also seems to be a lot of clinging to old systems and statutes out of fear, like the rates that are paid out after collection for example. Yes, there have been some very beneficial court cases over the last ten years or so that have inched an industry closer towards change, and a few very important cases going on now that should be watched closely. But why should noticeable and mutually beneficial change have to come from extended trial and appeal?

     The very basics of economics and history shows us that when technology is revolutionized and industries shift there is a time where traditional roles and employment will cease to exist, old forms of business will also cease to exist, and new regulations and education are of the utmost importance for those who wish to succeed and live to tell the tale in a completely new environment. So why are so many intelligent people missing the bus?

     In a world where human ingenuity has proven over and over that necessity breeds invention we must also carry this philosophy and living ethic over to the statutes that govern our consumption, collection, and payment of/for media by reviewing and revising, as well as being willing to throw away old and make way for new to guarantee that traditional ways of doing things do not directly inhibit the growth potential in revenue for the artists, producers, and rights holders, or the industries from which these may also thrive. In an annual meeting with Congress, David Israelite, president and CEO of the NMPA, had this to say. "We must find efficient ways to license our copyrights and empower new business models. Much of the current licensing system is outdated and inefficient. It was built to service outdated business models."