Universal's Second Chance to Make Video Pay

Another atrociously idiotic move by a record company: let's start charging for our built in free distribution system and penalize companies for promoting our artists for us. Sounds like a plan, the sooner I don't have to listen to another U2 or $.50 song, the better. And this may have the unintended effect of making other artists who actually like having their work heard by people actually get heard by people.

In a twisted way, I'm actually quite glad that the major record companies are imploding -- it means that many artists who previously found it difficult to break through will be found. With record companies gone, it may open up the promotional avenues such as MTV and radio stations to local and other previously unknown artists (because there is no culture jam of shitty over hyped and promoted artists).

Potentially the downside is that the quality of recordsing will go down (the actual productiojn value, that is), but it seems unlikely given that clearly where there is a will, there is a way. Here's to hoping the fat cats get crushed under their own fat guts.