News coverage on file sharing trial

Yesterday I commented the file sharing trial in Linköping on the regional news show Östnytt. I think that both the representative from the Pirate party and the well known artist Thomas Andersson Wij have opinions that are quite poor. The opinion from the Pirate Party that was aired, and which is a common view: “If I go in to a record store and pick up a CD and walk out of the store, this store has lost a CD. This trial has nothing to do with anyone losing a CD”. In my view, this is poor thinking. There has to be sharper intellectual reasons for file sharing, if they are to win the debate.

Thomas Adersson Wij, in turn says: “It morally as defendable as if a display window is broken – then its okay to pick things up”. This is not valid at all, since the internet is not a broken thing, but on the contrary an excellent display window. It is the record companies business models that are broken. He also reveals a view on marketing which is very strange and out of date. It made me think a lot about strategies and the order of actions. I have to write a post about it in a while.

As always I look like a nerd with to much to smile about… However, I have learned a bit about how to speak in the media to get my point through: short comments and catch phrases. Easily edited by the TV studio. Its a bit hard, when youre used to discussing and slowly unravelling opinions… Here is movie clip: http://svt.se/svt/play/video.jsp?a=1109608

Intensive day

Yesterday was an intensive one, with interviews in both TV and magazines. It is a little hard to market both the record company and the band Tree full of people at the same time, but I think the reporters got it all right. Here is a TV clip – in swedish though:

http://tv4.se/klipp/183544/170794.html

Marketing

I wrote a short and soulful press release last week and sent it to lots of magazines and TV stations. I also sent it to people in politics, since these ideas are somewhat new and might interest them. The response is very good so far: A national music magazine will cover us, the local newspapers and TV stations are doing interviews this week and also, Rick Falkvinge, head of the swedish party “Piratpartiet” has written lots about us in his blog. Its a beautiful text, just the kind of response I hoped for. And I really appreciate the comments at the bottom of the page:

http://www.falkvinge.com/2007/11/nytt-intressant-skivbolag.html (in Swedish)

Its very easy to get the interest of the media, I think. Ever since my early attempts, the papers have always been keen to write about new, interesting stuff, and when an idea like this comes up, its even easier. However, I think some people try the wrong approach, when trying to impress or being cocky about their attempts. I write very humbly about the releases and about the compay ideas, trying to work from a polite and “nice” point of view. Its not my job to tell everyone else that this music is the best ever composed or that this company is the coolest ever. Its up to the audience.