Does this spell the end of the 60s Oldies format?

[anotherguyTN]

I have a big question: Does ABS actually represent the artists like Al Green that are mentioned, or are they a group that bought the rights to their music, and are trying to find another way to make a buck, and the artists themselves are getting little or nothing from it? If that happens to be the case then ABS deserves to be sued by the artists they're trying to make a buck off of.

 

[TheBigA]

I have a big question: Does ABS actually represent the artists like Al Green that are mentioned, or are they a group that bought the rights to their music, and are trying to find another way to make a buck, and the artists themselves are getting little or nothing from it?

There are several different rights we're talking about here.

 

[umfan]

ABS is likely doing a service with this lawsuit. The end result should set a precedent and resolve how pre-1972 recordings will be handled henceforth. Congress could step in and resolve the issue as well. I doubt that Oldies Radio will disappear because of this, but the format is challenged in any case because of the declining economics of terrestrial radio and that format in particular.

 

[TheBigA]

Congress could step in and resolve the issue as well.

Of course they COULD, but they won't, because few of them know anything about the issue, or understand how to legislate. Had they written the DMCA properly in the 90s, we wouldn't have this problem now. So it's up to the courts to fix.

 

[joebtsflk1]

Ah, the 90's, they were the good ol' days when Congress actually tried to do something, unlike today.

I haven't decided whether "nothing" is actually better than poorly executed "something."

 

[K.M. Richards]

I haven't decided whether "nothing" is actually better than poorly executed "something."

Depends on whether you're someone who would be negatively affected by the poorly executed "something" (in which case it's worse) or if the status quo created by "nothing" is better. (Of course, a well executed "something" creates a whole different dynamic to consider.)

In this case we have seen that a poorly executed "something" (the DMCA as written) is much worse than the "nothing" that preceded it.