Of course there's plenty of music produced in many different styles and genres (from traditional to urban music, from tradi-modern to EDM and so on) across the many African countries. As I try to train artists in various West African countriers, the main problem is IMHO, to the exception of South Africa and might be Kenya, how IP on culture (being "copyright" for English speaking countries or "droit d'auteur" for French speaking ones) is managed. Most of the African countries were pushed (forced? lobbyied? bullied?) to sign IP laws, via African orgs OAPI - ARIPO or via Unesco, so that they offer the same "features" as in EU or US. But these laws are not ratified or implemented at all, as 1/ nobody really cares what IP is and does 2/ nobody's really trained to try to understand the matters, impacts and objectives (some countries don't have IP-trained lawyers 3/ people working in culture are not well trained (that's what my org's trying to achieve, at least)... But, but, but... Africa is the next frontier!!! then the big majors want to make money from Africa, as soon as possible... Sony just opened office in Nigeria. UMG is about to open office in Abidjan... and so on... do they come to nurture the local culture? Are you kidding me? They just want to push their existing moneymakers and once in a while help sell one "native"...
There's so much to say here...
PS: on a side note, US/EU know very well how to lobby African countries into signing bad IP laws/protocols. Just check what happened with the so-called "protection of new variety plants" where traditional farmers have been sold to big agri-business https://ipkenya.wordpress.com/2015/07/07/aripo-adopts-arusha-protocol-for-the-protection-of-new-varieties-of-plants/ and http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/2941542/african_governments_sell_out_their_farmers_in_secret_seeds_protection_deal.html
France Telecom (historical FR telco monopoly...) is the 2nd operator to block or limit access to YouTube videos.
Free (the once alternative ISP breaking the rules, that just released an adblocker directly in the box) has been reported for months by its users to do the same.
Following the newspapers (and the "pay for links"), they're all after Google in a way or an other, requesting more money to stop their declining business models...
Hello from France,
Well, the law's not cruising around anymore... it was adopted by the French Lower House and passed 312 vs 214...
France is fighting hard to be worse than Australia ;-)
The main problem is the request to control the internet through ISPs : pornography/pedophilia 1st, and then all forms of content (such as music, videos...) as our "little emperor" wants to be seen as the protector of the Arts...
I have to quit now... Big Brother is watching us...
All the comments on the "unLabel", being positive as well as negative feedbacks, are effectively helping us to keep on working on our project and make it better, simpler and more focused.
I also received direct comments from groups or artists that expressed their interest... amazing!!!
I presented the project @ Womex '09, and got in touch with other "labels" or managers working in the same "disruptive" directions... as well as some institutions that want to know more... encouraging!!!
I then would like to thank Mike, his team and all the commenters for their help.
BTW, if you like World Music and or (World) Jazz, you should check our page for Womex.
... not on the fact that Mike doesn't like labels, o'course...
Labels have to change, artists need this change... They need real help - services I mean...
I could tell stories of artists that are great performers, singers, players who have a great background history, but were treated like "slaves", with no or bad contracts, no money, no artistic development, from many different label kinds/sizes...
Nobody cared, except to pick the money out of their, not so deep, pockets...
Well, so far the cut off seems to be "agnostic"... So yes this might happen... Imagine : McDonald's, as other restaurants do, offer free WIFI access...
As it's the Internet access owner who's cut, even if not guilty, many might become "unwired"...
Well, you ask why ? Should I answer "lobbying" ? (Most of) the majors have been lobbying for months (years ?), since the new government/presidency started, to get this "law" on tracks... As (most of) the government's staff can't understand what the "digital world" is, what a (smart vs obsolete) business model is... they just keep on believing that what they've been told is plain truth...
Poor France... :-(
Sincerely
DJM
Techdirt has not posted any stories submitted by cybearDJM.
Re:
Of course there's plenty of music produced in many different styles and genres (from traditional to urban music, from tradi-modern to EDM and so on) across the many African countries.
As I try to train artists in various West African countriers, the main problem is IMHO, to the exception of South Africa and might be Kenya, how IP on culture (being "copyright" for English speaking countries or "droit d'auteur" for French speaking ones) is managed.
Most of the African countries were pushed (forced? lobbyied? bullied?) to sign IP laws, via African orgs OAPI - ARIPO or via Unesco, so that they offer the same "features" as in EU or US. But these laws are not ratified or implemented at all, as 1/ nobody really cares what IP is and does 2/ nobody's really trained to try to understand the matters, impacts and objectives (some countries don't have IP-trained lawyers 3/ people working in culture are not well trained (that's what my org's trying to achieve, at least)...
But, but, but... Africa is the next frontier!!! then the big majors want to make money from Africa, as soon as possible... Sony just opened office in Nigeria. UMG is about to open office in Abidjan... and so on... do they come to nurture the local culture? Are you kidding me? They just want to push their existing moneymakers and once in a while help sell one "native"...
There's so much to say here...
PS: on a side note, US/EU know very well how to lobby African countries into signing bad IP laws/protocols. Just check what happened with the so-called "protection of new variety plants" where traditional farmers have been sold to big agri-business https://ipkenya.wordpress.com/2015/07/07/aripo-adopts-arusha-protocol-for-the-protection-of-new-varieties-of-plants/ and http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/2941542/african_governments_sell_out_their_farmers_in_secret_seeds_protection_deal.html
2nd French ISP to "block" YouTube
France Telecom (historical FR telco monopoly...) is the 2nd operator to block or limit access to YouTube videos.
Free (the once alternative ISP breaking the rules, that just released an adblocker directly in the box) has been reported for months by its users to do the same.
Following the newspapers (and the "pay for links"), they're all after Google in a way or an other, requesting more money to stop their declining business models...
A pity or a shame, can't say yet...
Big Brother strikes back...
Hello from France,
Well, the law's not cruising around anymore... it was adopted by the French Lower House and passed 312 vs 214...
France is fighting hard to be worse than Australia ;-)
The main problem is the request to control the internet through ISPs : pornography/pedophilia 1st, and then all forms of content (such as music, videos...) as our "little emperor" wants to be seen as the protector of the Arts...
I have to quit now... Big Brother is watching us...
DJM
I might even doubt of his knowledge of the Internet and Technology as a whole... ;-)
Great experience, indeed
All the comments on the "unLabel", being positive as well as negative feedbacks, are effectively helping us to keep on working on our project and make it better, simpler and more focused.
I also received direct comments from groups or artists that expressed their interest... amazing!!!
I presented the project @ Womex '09, and got in touch with other "labels" or managers working in the same "disruptive" directions... as well as some institutions that want to know more... encouraging!!!
I then would like to thank Mike, his team and all the commenters for their help.
BTW, if you like World Music and or (World) Jazz, you should check our page for Womex.
Sincerely
Didier J. MARY
Oyinbo, I go chop your $ - video
Here's a fun song/video (including lyrics)
http://www.kotonteej.com/?p=240
Sincerely
DJM
Left vs right hand ?
Sometimes, things turn weird... ;-)
Coudn't agree more...
... not on the fact that Mike doesn't like labels, o'course...
Labels have to change, artists need this change... They need real help - services I mean...
I could tell stories of artists that are great performers, singers, players who have a great background history, but were treated like "slaves", with no or bad contracts, no money, no artistic development, from many different label kinds/sizes...
Nobody cared, except to pick the money out of their, not so deep, pockets...
I won't tell names here... ;-)
DJM
IP in the developing world
"in the next few weeks, we are going to be running a detailed series on the question of IP in the developing world"
Really waiting for it...
Sincerely
DJM
Sarkozy's Internet access...
He's known to not using computers, not liking them... Then, an Internet access is of no use... ;-)
DJM
Re: Wi-Fi cut for businesses ?
Well, so far the cut off seems to be "agnostic"... So yes this might happen... Imagine : McDonald's, as other restaurants do, offer free WIFI access...
As it's the Internet access owner who's cut, even if not guilty, many might become "unwired"...
DJM
Lobbying in France re: 3 strikes
Well, you ask why ? Should I answer "lobbying" ? (Most of) the majors have been lobbying for months (years ?), since the new government/presidency started, to get this "law" on tracks... As (most of) the government's staff can't understand what the "digital world" is, what a (smart vs obsolete) business model is... they just keep on believing that what they've been told is plain truth...
Poor France... :-(
Sincerely
DJM