Ask a RIAA Lobbyist

Filed in archive People , RIAA, IFPI on July 26, 2007

Mitch Glazier, Executive Vice President, Government and Industry Relations, RIAA spoke with a blogger Here is one of the questions.

What's the single biggest misperception about the RIAA that is commonly held by those active voices in the Internet community (bloggers, media, advocates)? And, how do you think this will change?

Some will always view RIAA as a monolithic enforcer that wants to stop the technology revolution that is giving music back to the people and harness the digital world so the evil establishment can control it. Or something like that. One time after I finished speaking to students at a University a guy with a Linux t-shirt told me I was responsible for killing the Internet and asked me how I felt about it. All I could say was, "Not too bad." The truth, of course is that the RIAA is full of some of the most committed, hard-working music lovers you could ever meet who have the tough job of trying to help the industry protect its creative property and adapt to new challenges. From statutory licensing and music publishing rules to enforcement and First Amendment protection, RIAA has been at the forefront of change that will determine how to keep music an art in which people still want to invest in the digital marketplace. It's been great to be in the middle of it, even if it hasn't felt so great sometimes.

Once the digital transition is more complete and understood, and the debate is sorted out to the satisfaction of consumers, I think the need for a punching bag will fade, the Linux t-shirt will be traded in for a Linux briefcase, and EFF will start running the creative commons.