The Clear Channel Patent Smackdown
From Rolling Stone, comes this article, “Clear Channel Limits Live CDs:”
In the past few years, fans leaving some concerts have discovered a souvenir far better than a T-shirt: a live recording of the show they just attended. Bands including the Allman Brothers, moe. and Billy Idol have sold instant concert discs, and the Pixies and the Doors plan to launch similar programs this summer. The recording-and-burning company DiscLive estimated on April 12th that it would gross $500,000 selling live discs this spring alone.
But in a move expected to severely limit the industry, Clear Channel Entertainment has bought the patent from the technology’s inventors and now claims to own the exclusive right to sell concert CDs after shows. The company, which is the biggest concert promoter in the world, says the patent covers its 130 venues along with every other venue in the country.
Gah! Clear Channel, not file-sharing, should be held responsible for declining audio CD sales because they’re radio division is almost singlehandedly responsible for the lack of diverse programming on commercial radio. This move by their concert promotion division only confirms my low opinion of them.