Today is a great day for some of those who make music for the rest of us to enjoy, many Canadian artists and songwriters will finally be paid for works they had created many years ago under a settlement thought to be on the lean side of the 6 Billion initial claim.
http://www.p2pnet.net/story/47669The four major record labels that comprise the Canadian Recording Industry Association – EMI Music Canada Inc., Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc., Universal Music Canada Inc. and Warner Music Canada Co. – have agreed to pay $45 million to settle one of the largest copyright class action lawsuits in Canadian history.
The settlement comes after years of fruitless efforts to get the industry to pay for works it used without permission.
The claims arise from a longstanding practice of the recording industry in Canada, described in the lawsuit as “exploit now, pay later if at all.” It involves the use of works that are often included in compilation CDs (ie. the top dance tracks of 2009) or live recordings. The record labels create, press, distribute, and sell the CDs, but do not obtain the necessary copyright licences.
One has to question why it is that when labels do this its 150 dollars per infringement but if you or I did this it would incur the wrath of many artists foaming at the mouth, spitting teeth and demanding nothing short of the death penalty
I hope this serves as a timely reminder to all those up and coming artists thinking of signing their rights away to a monopolist affiliated recording company with its less that wholesome practices when it comes to keeping their side of the contract. After all it makes more sense to sue those actually stealing from you than it does to penalise your fans who are happy to buy your work and sing your praises.
