Copyright Law

I'm trying to fix the video I created showing how to use netTrekker d.i. and eChalk together. Unfortunately, I broke my mic on the way to Georgia and the sound quality on the retake is horrible. So I have to re-do a few of the selections and need it to be quiet in the house. Must wait for tonight.

Anyway, as I closed the project I saw the latest eSchool News in my inbox. One of the articles was about the YouTube Law Suit that they say will have an effect on the school's application of using Web 2.0 tools. I have not read the article in full yet, so I don't have the details.

But the title of it reminded me of another article where this kid who had an awesome voice auditioned for American Idol, had a real great chance of making it, but then goofed up on his final audition in a major way (showing more ego than Simon) and therefore never made the show. It was for the best because he'd NEVER have beat out David Cook, and I don't think he'd have been able to cope to losing. Anyway, now that American Idol has crowned the new King, this kid (okay, Josiah Lemming), gave an interview to MTV and said that [American Idol] "it's glorified karaoke -- they pick people with pretty faces and the pretty voices, and they don't let them write their own songs," he explained to MTV News. "They pick these good-looking people with voices, and they have them sing these songs that other people have written. And therefore, it lacks passion, it lacks emotion and it lacks the things that set an artist off from being good to being great. So that's my feeling on it."

Hmmm. David Cook fans would disagree. And I think so would David A.'s fans. David Cook for one had the talent to play with the arrangements and put some passion and soul. The proof though will be in the pudding, when David Cook sells more records than this kid.

But as Tom would say, I digress for the real reason I am about to post. It's not about the number of records David Cook will sell, it's about the whole karaoke deal. I'm going to guess that even a show like American Idol has to pay royalties for each song they play. Their royalties are probably lower than what they would have to pay the contestant if the contestant were to sing their own song. Or, American Idol knows that if they let David Cook sing one of his songs, then David Cook (or other artists) will have to sign the rights over to the show for the use of that song. The copyright use of that song would cause an issue too. Did David Cook write the song himself? Did he have a partner? Do they have to pay for the use of the song to both the performer and the artists. No, it's easier if they buy a song list from various record companies and tell the kids to go at it.

Which is why schools who are creating those wonderful DVD Yearbooks need to be careful before using today's popular music for the slideshows. Are they paying for the rights to use that music? Are they paying the RIGHT people for those rights? Is there a limited time on those rights? (American Idol pulled all the songs at the end of the season. I would bet that part of it is due to paying royalties for using the songs.)

Just some blabberings.