[Dixielandjazz] SPEDIDAM

[Gary Kiser]

Hi all,

I just received an interesting letter from SPEDIDAM (Société de 
Perception et de Distribution des Droits des Artistes-Interprètes 
Musique et Danse).  This is an organization that, years ago, lobbied 
legislation where blank audio and video cassettes and blank CDs are 
taxed (over and above regular sales taxes -- SPEDIDAM gets around $0.02 
per blank CD).  This money is invested and, once a year, there is a 
distribution of these funds to recording artists to compensate for the 
illegal copy of recorded music.  Stage actors that have filmed their 
plays are also compensated by the sale of blank video cassettes.  There 
is also compensation for performing live on the radio or the TV as these 
broadcasts can be recorded and then freely distributed..

For the four CDs that Sac à Pulses made, I receive about $600 per year.  
Pierre, our trombone guy, who plays with about everyone and has recorded 
quite a bit more than I, gets around $2500 per year.

This is not to be confused with the SACEM which is more like ASCAP or BMI.

Anyway, SPEDIDAM has asked me to sign a pre-printed postcard 
pre-addressed to President Chirac asking him to push legislation to 
compensate the same recording artists, but now for the P2P distribution 
of MP3 files over the internet.  This will come in the form of a tax on 
what ISPs charge for internet access.

I was curious what you all think of this.  Would you mail the postcard?

Personally, I am a good 85% for the idea as it eventually means that I 
will make a little more money at the end of the year.  In any case, I 
should get more from SPEDIDAM than the added tax by my internet 
provider.  I do realize that this tax would also be imposed on law 
abiding citizens that don't exchange music or films and those that just 
don't know how to do so.

I also realize this may reopen that liberal vs conservative can of worms 
that consumed a fair amount of DJML bandwidth with the Bush sucks vs 
Bush rocks dispute last November.  Nonetheless, this issue IS music and 
not about the merits or incompetence of the brainless.

Could this sort of legislation ever pass in your country?  Could it even 
get to the ballot?  Remember, we are at the conception stage here now.  
If this makes it to law, it won't happen before a couple of years of debate.

There is another debate going on now to change the sales tax on audio 
CDs from the standard 19.60% to 5.50% that of books, food and other 
'essential' items.  The argument is that why should books of the works 
of Molière or Baudelaire be at 5.5%  whereas a CD of Léo Ferré where he 
put the texts of the aforementioned poets/writers to symphonic music be 
taxed at 19.6%.  Or, on modern terms, a rap star's CD is taxed at 19.6%, 
but a book of his lyrics is taxed at 5.5%.  Is this right?  Of course, 
recording artists (and production houses) would like the lower tax as it 
should increase sales.

Curious what you all thinks.

All the best, Gary

Gary Kiser
www.sacapulses.com
www.mojobrassband.com