Is the music industry going too far?

[ShadowWolf]

The Shape of Things to Come in the US?
Posted by Bill Evans on December 3, 2002 at 4:34 PM

Finnish taxi drivers to pay royalties for backseat music

Finland's Supreme Court has ruled taxi drivers must pay royalty fees if they play music in their car while a customer is in the backseat.

The order even applies to the radio.

A case, based on one driver's refusal to pay, is likely to set a precedent for the 9,500 cab drivers in the country.

Under the ruling, a cab driver in Finland must pay £14 annually for playing music while transporting a fare.

Lauri Luotonen, chairman of the Helsinki Taxi Drivers' Association, says the ruling is likely to force most drivers to keep their radios off.

Recently, two Finnish churches refused to pay royalties to the country's copyright society for the performance of Christmas hymns. The congregations won their case in a district court, but the society has appealed.

[Good Ol' Batmanuel!]

Originally posted by ShadowWolf
Finland's Supreme Court has ruled taxi drivers must pay royalty fees if they play music in their car while a customer is in the backseat.
Under the ruling, a cab driver in Finland must pay £14 annually for playing music while transporting a fare.

Um...*scratching head* Is it because customers are complaining about the music they play? Most drivers aren't such jerks that they wouldn't change the station if they were asked to. Either that, or they're just trying to make money off of people listening to radio broadcasts, which are supposed to be free! What's the difference if one person is listening or a few? It's not like the driver is charging customers to listen to his radio! Very bizarre...

All this is going to do is make people think that Finland is weird. I can't see this happening in the Western world. It makes no sense.

[Novdeloth]

Originally posted by Good Ol' Batmanuel!
I can't see this happening in the Western world. It makes no sense.

Stranger things have happened in the Western world. Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope this doesn't happen anywhere else.

But still... that's just so bizarre.

[Chris Wood]

Originally posted by Good Ol' Batmanuel!

All this is going to do is make people think that Finland is weird. I can't see this happening in the Western world. .

Finland IS in the Western world, as is all of Europe.

[RZetlin]

Um...*scratching head* Is it because customers are complaining about the music they play?

I guess the music industry's logic is the taxi fare also includes the music being played on the radio.

Hence the taxi drivers are making money from the music which the music artists are not getting.

I know this is absurb, but when money is involved common sense is thrown out the window.

All this is going to do is make people think that Finland is weird. I can't see this happening in the Western world. It makes no sense.

Finland is part of the Western world.

Yes, this can happen in America.

Afterall, the American music industry did threaten to sue the girl scouts for singing copyrighted songs by the campfire.

[Good Ol' Batmanuel!]

Ok, Finland is part of the western world. Sorry. If I go far enough west, I'll end up in the Orient! Heh heh.

RZetlin makes a good point. Next time I call for a cab, I'll have to ask them to send the cab with the nicest sound system. Anyway, money does indeed make the world go 'round and also turns people crazy.

[Elven Moon]

What? Are they going to start charging me if I play the radio with someone else in the car? "Sorry friends, no music, this is costing me!"

That's just so... weird.

[BLACKHEART]

Doesn't everyone get a kick out of the rich trying to get more money from those who struggle to make it?