[pp.int.general] Welcome all form Poland

[Rickard Olsson]

Rick Falkvinge (Piratpartiet) wrote:

> It might be a good starting point, but I'd still want to raise a word of
> caution here, as those levies confirm that the content aggregation
> industry somehow has a _right_ to receive public money, regardless of
> whether their business model is viable or even contributes to society.

Indeed. Most collecting societies manage to keep the money themselves so 
labeling this as a move to "ensure that artists get paid" is not only 
misleading but downright wrong.

Example: SAMI is in charge of collecting royalties for performing 
artists in Sweden. In 2005 they received 283 million SEK, paid out a 
total of 137 millions SEK to artists and still managed to post operating 
losses of three millions.

Now, I've only studied a year of business economics but I can tell you 
that if I had been an artist I would have attended their shareholder's 
meeting with a torch and a pitchfork.

  / Richie