Do as I say not as I do - It should be this lobbyist's creed. Music industry analyst Phil Tripp today called for the resignation or suspension of Australian Record Industry Association CEO Stephen Peach, for alleged 'CD Freeloading' of pages of titles sometimes with multiple copies requested. These CD's are intended as promotional tools only and are not produced as perks for lobbyists. After all, how can you toot your horn for the starving artists yet set at your desk scribbling wish lists for you staff to run down for you and your cronies? At first, it didn't bother me too much, as it is miniscule amount of material if you look at the big picture. But, after a while it starts to put you in a slow burn.
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But we called Peach's former publicist at ARIA, Marcella McAdam, who furnished more detail on his habits. During her 18 months under his reign, Peach was in the habit of handwriting lists of titles he wanted and getting staff to source them from the record companies, she said - sometimes from back catalogues and sometimes two or three of the same title. "I sighted several A4 pages of titles and other employees had seen other lists as well. It wasn't the reason I left, but it was one of them. I thought ARIA, as the body lobbying government [for artists' rights] should be showing more . . . leadership," McAdam said. "Freeloading versus free downloading - to me it's the same. You're getting the product for free. It's not going to stop until the record companies start saying no." |
That got me going a little bit, then I read this quote from Tripp at Mi2N: "The action I suggest is the
same that any other respectable industry association would pursue if this issue
came up in the media. That is to question staff and former staff as to the
amounts of CDs ordered by executives and consultants (including lobbyists), look
into other areas of freebies such as requested concert tickets, merchandise and
other comped perks, and make those responsible for abuse subject to dismissal."
Tripp suggests. "If the Board refuses to investigate this matter immediately,
establish a clear policy of not abusing artists and songwriter royalty
compensation by tightening their own corporate belts and eliminating dubious
glomming of promotional music by non-entitled staff, then it deserves not to be
taken seriously by government, by the public and the industry." Tripp affirms.
Check out this story at the source for some more details.
It's a little thing called integrity. This is one lobbyist that comes up short, if the allegations are correct. Shocking.
Source: Music Industry News
