[pp.int.general] interesting Article - Lobbying Costs

[Andy Milner]

Interesting article by Jon Newton over at p2pnet detailing lobbying costs...

The entertainment cartel enforcement organisations know a bargain when
they see one.

The amounts of money they earmark to buy legislation, influence,
favourable print, electronic media exposure, and a lot more, can be
reckoned in virtual nickels and dimes.

Hollywood's MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) spent a
paltry $900,000 on lobbying for the period January 1 through August
14, while with a mere $658,747, Warner Music, EMI, Vivendi Universal
and Sony BMG's RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) forked
out even less, says the Center for Responsive Politics.

In the 9th spot among the top 20 recipients is Hollywood Howard
Berman, the US politician who's conspicuously front and centre in
pushing forward entertainment cartel-friendly legislation.

"The entertainment industries have been leading contributors to Berman
since 1993, topping up his coffers with amounts totalling close to
$1,000,000," posted p2pnet recently, quoting the CRP's
OpenSecrets.org.

ASCAP (the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers)
spent only $431,250, and BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc), $620,000.

Collectively, corporate TV, movie and music companies spent only $27.5
million through the first half of the year, says the CRP.

Tallies for individual spenders included:

    * Clear Channel ($1,200,000)
    * Comcast ($3,900,000)
    * Cox ($2,000,000)
    * Walt Disney ($2,200,000)
    * EMI ($190,000)
    * NBC Universal ($160,000
    * News Corp. ($1,000,000)
    * Sony/BMG entertainment divisions ($925,000)
    * Time Warner entertainment divisions ($1,9,000)
    * Viacom ($775,000)
    * UMG ($350,000)
    * Warner Music Group ($197,500).

Certainly gives us an idea of what we're up against (in terms of lobbying)

//Andy