Finally someone in the press gets the story right... read this story from CNET

A Letter to Fox News - The Big Story with John Gibson

mywords@foxnews.com
1-20-03

I just watched your story on the "crisis" of downloading music online.

Why is it that no one who ever brings up the slump is CD sales doesn't align that against the fact that the economy is in a slump too. Buying music is a luxury not a necessity like buying hamburgers or rice.

These are important questions to ask.

How many downloads lead to retail purchases?

How many downloads replace retail purchases or are just "artistic exploration"? (Ask people if they would have actually purchased a download if there was no way to listen to that music for free.)

Why is it no one ever tried to stop me from taping songs off of the radio?

Why is it that no one ever addresses the fact that compressed MP3 files DO NOT sound as good as a store bought CD? Are you and your producers believing the hype of "digital is perfect"?

Why don't the record companies live up to the promise of 1982 when they said that the prices of CD's would eventually fall with mass production?

Why do you keep touting Napster facts when Napster (RIP) is long gone.

Talk to Bono of U2, his comment recently in the news was that he is "paid too much already" and he wants everyone to be able to hear their music.

Why don't the record companies make a product that is SOOO compelling to own and have in MY HAND that I can't wait to go to the store to buy it?

Music is spiritual, you can't buy music. You can't SELL music. You sell a package and you sell an experience. When the record companies get better at that, AND the economy picks up then people will return to the record stores.

Until then, people will continue to share music freely with their friends and, heaven forbid, listen to the radio with out paying the record company.

I'll tell you WHY these issues are not brought up on your show. You are too interested in ENTERTAINMENT and not NEWS... move the story along, faster faster faster. Don't bother trying to explain anything to anyone because the american public is too stupid to actually listen. Instead just put a bunch of pretty pictures on the air and more layers of lower thirds and crawls and maybe, just maybe they will stick with the channel until the commercial.

I DEFY you to do a real in depth story on the corruption of the music industry. The real criminals are not the fans who are trying to listen to the music, the criminals are the record companies who have been price fixing and gouging listeners for YEARS.

Chris Fenwick
Broadcast Business Graphics
Director/Editor
www.chrisfenwick.com