[Dixielandjazz] Update on the Sony fiasco for copy protection.

[Lowell Busching]

This is a follow up on the recent posting on the DJML concerning the 
warning about certain Sony CD's possibly being dangerous to the health 
of your computer if played on the computer, even with NO attempt to copy 
them.  This relatively short, informative article was written by a USA 
TODAY writer, rather then an AP writer so not everyone may have read it. 
It was in the Monday USA Today.

As you probably noticed if you went to the link in the previous email on 
this, it is unlikely that any CD's you have recently purchased from Sony 
are affected, or infected.  I think I noticed one jazz record on that 
list from the link, and it was not trad jazz as such.

Copy-protection program raised PC privacy fears

By Jefferson Graham
USA Today

LOS ANGELES - Sony BMG Music Entertainment said Monday it will pull some 
of  its most popular CDS from stores in response to backlash over 
copy-protection software on the discs.

Sony also said it will offer exchanges for consumers who purchased the 
discs, which contain hidden files that leave them vulnerable to computer 
viruses when played on a PC.

"Sony BMG deeply regrets any inconvenience to our Customers and remains 
committed to providing an enjoyable and safe music experience," the 
company said Sony says more than 20 titles have been released with the 
XCP copy-protection software, and of those CDs, over 4 million have been 
manufactured, and 2.1 million sold.

Details about how long it will take to replace the XCP CDs and about its 
consumer exchange program will come later in the week, Sony said.

For now pulling the CDs off shelves "could go a long way toward making a 
consumer feel comfortable that the CD they just purchased isn't going to 
mess up their computer," says record store owner John Kunz of Waterioo 
Records in Austin.

Country-rockers Van Zant's "Get Right with the Man" kicked off the 
firestorm when a blogger traced a hidden, spyware type file on his 
computer to the CD. Other XCP copy-protected CDs include new releases by 
Neil Diamond, Celine Dion, Cyndi Lauper and Burt Bachararach

Before Sony's announcement, Van Zant manager Ross Schilling urged the 
label to recall all the CDs. "I said we've got to be proactive, or it 
could destroy the business model," Schilling says. "Sony should be in 
the artist business, promoting and selling records. This type of issue 
sheds a negative light on their ability to do that”

Sony began adding copy-protection to its CDs in June 2004 with the 
release of a record by the band Velvet Revolver, saying it was taking a 
step against unauthorized online file-sharing and CD burning.

The label says it will issue all major releases with copy-protection in 
Z006, as will rival label EMI. The other major labels Universal Music 
and Warner, have yet to release copy-protected CDs.

Sony also issues copy-protected CDs using software from digital rights 
management company Sunoco. But those which include releases by the Foo 
Fighters and the Dave Matthews Band, haven't come under the same kind of 
attack.

However, many artists have spoken out about all forms of copy-protected 
CDs, including Matthews, the Foo Fighters and Christian rock band 
Switchfoot.  Bela Fleck and the Flecktones are set to release a new 
album on Sony in January and it will not be copy protected, says Fleck's 
manager, David Bendett.

Frustrated when he bought a copy-protected Dave Matthews release and 
couldn't copy into his Apple iPod, Fleck insisted that Sony not release 
his new album with such restrictions, Bendett says.

Sony says its copy-protected CDs are clearly marked, but the front 
labels don’t identify whether they use the XCP software. That 
information is included in small print on the back of the CD, which 
reads "?cp.sonybrng.com/xcp".

The End

Lowell Busching