p2pnet - rss feed: Millions spent on p2p battles
p2p news / p2pnet:- The RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) fights the good fight against those hundreds of millions of villainous men, women and children who get out of bed, every morning, bent on robbing the hard-pressed labels of what’s rightfully theirs – their profits.
Acting for its owners, Organized Music (EMI Group, Vivendi Universal, Warner Music and Sony BMG), the RIAA is championed by Mitch ‘The Don’ Bainwol and Cary ‘Scary’ Sherman, the ceo and president of the RIAA, respectively.
But undoing the evil wrought by the likes of 14-year-old Britanny Chan doesn’t come cheap and according to US Internal Revenue Service filings, the RIAA had an income of $46.4 million, but expenses of $51 million, leaving it in the hole to the tune of $4.6 million.
And that’s despite the many millions of dollars in blackmail payments the RIAA has so far brought in from victims under ‘settlement’ deals during its sue ‘em all marketing campaign
According to the IRS, the RIAA spent $14.5 million in outside legal fees and $11.7 million in “employee compensation”.
Interestingly, Sherman got $1.13 million, but his boss, Bainwol, received a trifling $908,848.
MPAA in the red
However, the RIAA isn’t the only ‘trade’ organization which finds itself desperately trying to combat the ravages of file sharing.
The MPAA (Motion Picture Association, of America) owned principally by the Big Seven studios, (Walt Disney, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Paramount Pictures Corporation, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Universal City Studios LLLP; and Warner Bros), is also in the trenches.
It brought in $51.5 million and paid out $53.1 million, putting it nearly $1.6 million in the red for 2004, says its IRS filings.
It spent $8.4 million fighting the monster it created, dry-land piracy, and spent $5.8 million on lobbying efforts.
Then-president Jack Valenti took home $1.4 million, executive vps Simon Barsky and William Murray banked $380,351 and $379,559 respectively, executive vp and general counsel Fritz Attaway received $285,263, senior vps Brad Hunt, Vans Stephenson and Ken Jacobsen got $269,172, $249,602 and $242,215 respectively, and senior vp and cfo Mark Howe was paid $198,975.
In the meanwhile, both entertainment industry groups are reporting record earnings.
(Thanks, B)
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First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win
- Mohandas Gandhi
Tired of being treated like a criminal? They depend on you, not the other way around. Don’t buy their ‘product’. Do bug your local political representatives. Use emails, snail-mail, phone calls, faxes, IM, stop them in the street, blog. And if you’re into organizing, organize petitions, organize demonstrations and then turn up on your local political rep’s doorstep, making sure you’ve contacted your local tv/radio station/newspaper in advance.
See:-
rightfully theirs - RIAA lies and disinformation, September 27. 2005
evil wrought - 100,000 for Britanny Chan!, October 7, 2005
October 17th, 2005 at 9:02 pm
I wonder what their budget is going to be like next year now that people are beginning to stand up to them. I wonder what their budget is going to be like when the owners of the RIAA and MPAA realize that by suing filesharers, they have driven away customers like me. I used to spend slightly under $100 a month renting movies. I was hoping that Blockbuster would have someone call me to ask if there was a problem. Sadly, the company did not. However, I know that there are quite a few fewer people who rent movies now that I told them what is available online. I just wonder how much longer it will be before the rental business drops off.
These cartels are definitely cutting their own throats. Now if the petrolium cartels started suing their own customers, there would probably be a extreme backlash against politicians as well as company headquarters. Better yet, some hacker may come up with a cheap alternative.
October 17th, 2005 at 9:24 pm
soooo is all that money they’re claiming they are losing… because they are spending so much to stop p2p…. V.V
October 17th, 2005 at 10:32 pm
Like the poster above this, I too have drastically changed my purchasing and renting habits. Before they started financial blackmail I would purchase at least 3-4 movies a month. After the MPAA’s input into what to do with infringement cases dealing with the public in general, I no longer support the industry. Read that as I chose to spend the money elsewhere and have no interest in financing their little war against their own customers. I really don’t care if the reader of these words follow suit or not. It is simply right for me. My money spent is a vote in what I believe in. So is the purposeful avoiding of spending.
The RIAA reached that status with me earlier as they started the ball earlier. No money leaves my hands that I can control that will benefit them, if I have the choice. For a corporation with less than 5% GNP, they have influanced the laws and regulations far too much for the remaining 95%.
October 18th, 2005 at 1:20 am
I’ve also drastically changed my “entertainment” spending. I stopped going to movies when they hit the $7 mark. I used to buy at least one CD or DVD a week (sometimes more if I had the extra bucks), but I won’t give 1 cent to an organization that blackmails, extorts, harasses, and terrorizes ordinary citizens for their own financial gain. These “business” tactics are despicable, and they have lost the thousands I used to spend because of this. I used to rent movies constantly, but stopped doing that years ago. I hate Blockbuster and they keep buying out the smaller stores I prefer. When I got a notice of collection action for late charges, that was the end. If they can’t wait until until I come in for a new rental, the hell with them. Instead of spending $30 for 2 at the cinema (between tickets, popcorn and soda), for an hour and a half of piss poor entertainment, my wife and I have found other entertainment, such as an afternoon of miniature golf. Much more fun, in our opinion, and $30 dollars can equal about 3 hours instead.
In terms of music, I spend my money in support of independent and local artists now. Most are better than the crap that floods the radio and the cartels stopped catering to my tastes years ago anyway. I was at one time starting to replace my massive album collection with CDs, but now I can transfer them myself with good quality and no DRM. Fuck them. I DON’T NEED THEM!!! This is what they must understand. This is why they are losing money. As they continue their terror campain, more and more people are going to come to these same realizations, and the cartels have only themselves to blame. NO AMOUNT OF “EDUCATION” (LOL), LAWSUITS, HARASSMENT, THREATS, AND ESPECIALLY DRM CAN BUY ME BACK!!!! As far as I’m concerned, a CD with DRM is damaged. If I can’t play it where I want and how I want, it’s damaged goods. It’s like a chair with two legs. If I can’t sit in it, I sure as hell am not going to buy it!!
Same goes for the polititions who support them. It’s time to clean house. Any politition who takes part in laws that restrict my fair use, or takes money from, or speaks out in defense of the cartels has kissed my vote goodbye. The cartels’ money will mean nothing to them if it deters votes.
October 18th, 2005 at 2:07 am
it,s about time you started to think about boycotting these clown.If you don,t think these clowns are not crooked stop spending you money on them.If everyone who see,s this post pull out a dollar and put it back in their pocket,and keep it there watch the (RIAA)cry.Look the (RIAA) are nothing more than a bunch of crooks, so you don,t think so hun will asked a lot of the old school black R&B singers.Ask the dixie chicks,ask prince, no matter what you think of micheal jackson he call sony racist.Try little richard,why do you think the rappers have their own studios to product their own records.Look america you made the (RIAA) they did not make you.Just stop giong to the movies and stop buying records you have the power to put these guys out in the cold.
October 18th, 2005 at 4:29 am
You’re “fortunate”, the average price for movies in my city is $12.50. And there is not “cheap” tuesdays anymore. And EVERYTIME I visit blockbusters or any rental store, the selection SUCKS…. GOD, it sucks SO bad!!!! There is not a single movie worth my time, even if they PAID ME to watch it. That’s right, my time is valuable. I’d rather not waste my precious time on crap. The P2P stuff I get is FOREIGN, yes Chinese, Japanese, Korean… There are some really good shitzzzz….. Check it out!!!!
October 18th, 2005 at 4:30 am
That’s actually what happening…. fewer movie/music goers, renters, buyers…
October 18th, 2005 at 4:48 am
Well if i worked for the IRS, i’d be keeping in mind that these guys aren’t exactly known for their “precision” when it comes to talking about numbers and amounts.
Hell, i’d be sending the auditors in every year.
October 18th, 2005 at 5:00 am
The $7 admission I mentioned is not the current price in my area, that’s what is was when I said “enough!”. $12.50?!? God! I’d never pay that. I live out in the middle of nowhere. I think the going rate around here is now in the $9 range, but I haven’t gone in years so I could be wrong. I miss the Drive-Ins. I think theres only 2 left in the entire state. There used to be so many. 2-3 movies for the price of 1, some degree of privacy, and the ability to bring your own snacks, soda, or beer made this a much more enjoyable experience to me.
I enjoy alot of foreign stuff as well. Creativity is a lost art in this country.
October 18th, 2005 at 5:36 am
I think you all have missed it!!! The Riaa and Mpaa are NON PROFIT ORG”S so with that in mind the Music and Movie Ind. just keep throwing their money down a dark hole!!!! Is it any wonder they (Riaa/Mpaa) have to charge so much to par take of their entertainment????? I use the term loosely!!!
October 18th, 2005 at 5:48 am
They will pay off some politician to make the IRS leave them alone. Keep in mind that while it is true that the Richest in the country pay the most taxes as far as amount is concerned, they actually pay a much lower percentage in income than you or I do. The IRS is also known for going after small time professionals or those who do not have the money to defend themselves.
Like many other cartels and governments, these people are cowards. They pay others to do their dirty work and only pick on the defensless. When someone comes close to bringing their corruption to light, these thugs just throw some money at a few lawyers, regulators, and politicians to make their problem go away. What usually ends up happening is that the whistleblower is the one who gets screwed.
Peer to peer file sharing has brought together a large number of people who have different political, religious, and cultural differences. This is a huge force deal with. The cartels are really running scared now that millions of people have power they never had before. Technology is being used to empower the people. The last time technology this powerful was so effective in throwing down a super despot was when the printing press was created. It was technology such as the printing press that helped destroy the absolute power of the Vatican. While the Vatican is still powerful, it has lost about 95% of its might. Once people were able to read the Bible for themselves, they did not need the priests to do it for them. (Too bad most Christians still follow Catholic traditions)
Filesharing may do the very same thing to the government-cartel alliances today.
It is currently winning the war against the media (mind control) cartels of today.
Bloggers brought down the likes of Dan Rather and peer to peer will bring down the likes of the **AA’s. This is the chance for political parties other than the Democrat-Republican party to make themselves known. If I were running as a non Democratic-Republican candidate for President of the P.S.A., I would spend a few thousand dollars producing some of the funniest entertainment available online. I would then work my message into this entertainment. When people are entertained, they turn other people onto the same entertainment.
People are getting really tired of the lamescream media stream and will turn it off when presented with an alternative. I noticed that the other day, there were people giving away copies of the local newspaper in order to increase readership.
I have not seen this happen in my area before. I guess business is beginning to slow for the lamescream. People are now turning to media that may very well free their minds so that they can do what needs to be done to regain our freedom. The governmetn-cartel alliances need to be afraid, they need to be VERY afraid!!!
October 18th, 2005 at 7:41 pm
Honestly - who is going to believe that any of these people only make that much - and that both the RIAA and MPAA are “in trouble”?
Hollywood is *famous* for it’s deceptive and fraudulent accounting practices, and regularly cheat many artists and creative types out of their rightfully earned money. Lying to the IRS and claiming fake losses is just another tactic by these sleazebags.
October 19th, 2005 at 1:22 am
I’ve managed to stop supporting the RIAA while also staying legal. There’s various indy music stores online, but at this point I’m really liking emusic.com. 25cents a song and no drm. I own more music now than I ever did with CDs or Cassettes.
If you boycott the RIAA but then just d/l their songs, you’re still letting yourself be defined by what they are hyping. Now that I’ve started to look outside the box, I’m finding tons of music I never heard of and is quite good. I find myself liking styles (like downtempo) that I didn’t even realize existed!
So far I haven’t boycotted the MPAA. They seem marginally more sensible and at least there’s plenty of affordable titles. Maybe I’m just cheap when it comes to music, but even $1 a song seems like too much except for my most favorite bands. But with a lower price point, I’m actually buying way more overall than I was before..
Go long tail!
October 19th, 2005 at 2:19 am
Poor, poor RIAA! Now I can see: it’s preposterous to steal money from these poor people! It’s unimaginable how can one live on 1 million dollars - he must be hungry and has no money left to pay his electrical bills… My heart goes out to these poor victims of vicious criminals!
October 19th, 2005 at 8:39 am
I agree. And by the way, nice write-up. Peer sharing is based on community spirit. The more they attack the more we the people win. Just like the motton of this website, as Ghandhi said so elegantly….
“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win”
October 19th, 2005 at 11:37 am
Patience and Perserverance are the two virtues that accompanied Gandhi’s peaceful resistance to British brutality and colonialism. The RIAA / MPAA may seem collosal but they are not “invincible”!
Stay steadfast and dedicated and sooner or later, the corrupt “regime” will fall…….all without a need to wage war for “regime change” like they have done
Cheers!!!
October 19th, 2005 at 11:39 am
Millions “spent” only went back into THEIR pockets. Notice how the “fees” and “expenses” are GIVEN to themselves (oh golly-gosh, they need their “executive” fees, etc) and their ‘friends’ (”lawyers” and “advisors”, etc).
So in essence, the VAST majority (upwards of 98%) of the “expenses” GO STRAIGHT BACK INTO THEIR POCKETS….
mmmm?!!!! something smells fishy, and it’s not fish.
January 1st, 2006 at 4:56 pm
I haven’t changed my habits yet. I’ve not downloaded any movies or music using any P2P and am not interested in doing so.
BUT reading posts on this web site for the past week since Patti’s story was covered in the news will change my habits. I can do without entertainment that preys on the weak and vunerable.