University of Texas newspaper op-ed

Here's a nice student op-ed piece from The Daily Texan.

MPAA campaign a scary waste:
Nothing is novel about the conflict of content creators and content distributors over the use of new media technology. What is novel is the way that the entertainment industries have shifted their targets from the groups that make distribution possible to the public that consumes them. From the milestone Sony v. MGM "Betamax" case to last month's Federal Court of Appeals ruling favoring the legitimacy of file-sharing services Grokster and Morpheus, the tide of judicial logic has slowly turned in favor of value-creating technologies.Never discouraged, the Recording Industry Association of America and now the Motion Picture Association have risen to bite the very hands that feed them - the movie-consuming public. Although over 60 million Americans use file-sharing networks, the MPAA seems to feel that they have nothing to fear in their use of intimidation.Although none of Hollywood's latest attempts at terror have given me my money's worth, Thursday's full-page MPAA ad in the Texan sent chills down my spine.Although the ongoing campaign against listeners by the RIAA has proved a massive waste of taxpayer money (having made improper use of federal offices, filed lawsuits illegally and done nothing to stem the tide of downloading), the movie industry is set to follow in their footsteps.They also have another trick up their sleeve: the INDUCE act. The recently-introduced congressional legislation would devote federal funds to putting "music pirates" (students) behind bars.I expect cooperation with this type of anti-consumer carpet bombing from the mouthpieces of multinational media conglomerates, but the pro-student stance of the Texan has left me with a higher set of expectations.With DVD sales up 33 percent in 2003, it is sheer avarice that provokes this kind of misguided boot-stomping on the part of the MPAA. I hope that in the future, the Texan can associate itself with cooler heads.
Byron Landry
Economics senior