Daily Kos

Spitzer going after music labels next

by storme

Thu Oct 21, 2004 at 09:58:12 PM PDT

NY Times has the story - this man is like superman, appearing out of nowhere swooping down on evildoers and bringing them to justice. I almost think Kerry should leave him where he is so we have a one two punch.

Record Labels Said to Be Next on Spitzer List for Scrutiny


Eliot Spitzer, the New York State attorney general, has recently taken on a procession of corporate powers from Wall Street analysts to mutual funds to insurance brokers. Now he is casting his eyes on the music industry, particularly its practices for influencing what songs are heard on the public airwaves.

According to several people involved, investigators in Mr. Spitzer's office have served subpoenas on the four major record corporations - the Universal Music Group, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, the EMI Group and the Warner Music Group - seeking copies of contracts, billing records and other information detailing their ties to independent middlemen who pitch new songs to radio programmers in New York State

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  •  Oh sweet lord... (none / 0)

    ...I love this man. I mean, wow. I have absolutely nothing substantive to say on this matter except that if he goes after these people he will be my hero.

    OMG SPITZER IS TEH ROXXOR 4EVAR!!11!!

    by MiklCraw4d on Thu Oct 21, 2004 at 10:04:09 PM PDT

  •  WOO!! (none / 0)

    Sweet revenge for that RIAA bullshit!  Finally, original and worthwile music may return to radio!

    Isn't a centrist just someone who doesn't have the balls to be a fanatic? -- Stephen Colbert

    by Muboshgu on Thu Oct 21, 2004 at 10:06:18 PM PDT

  •  yes (none / 0)

    Come'on Mr. Spitzer...can't you find some time to take on the RIAA too?  

    But this is great to see.  NY is so lucky.

    by JoelK in AZ on Thu Oct 21, 2004 at 10:09:56 PM PDT

  •  Spitzer for AG (none / 0)

    man, imagine him following Ashcroft as a national AG, but i understand why NY wants him for himself.

    Russ Feingold btw, has been working on payola radio issues in the Senate for years now...

    by ihlin on Thu Oct 21, 2004 at 10:11:27 PM PDT

  •  I hope they (none / 0)

    ... get roasted on the Spitzer!

    It's deeper than payola, though, as Clear Channel is clearly political as well.

    I heard a couple years ago about a technology that allowed there to be 4 times as many frequencies available for radio transmission/reception.  I haven't heard anything since, but it would be nice.  The domination of the airwaves by CC et al has been a complete disaster for music in this country.  Media sorely needs re-regulation.

    Perhaps it's too much to ask that Spitzer also look at royalty practices.  That's a guaranteed win eighteen different ways from Sunday.  

    I'm starting to worship Elliot Spitzer.

    "The survival value of intelligence is that it allows us to extinct a bad idea, before the idea extincts us." -- Karl Popper

    by eyeswideopen on Thu Oct 21, 2004 at 10:23:31 PM PDT

  •  The great thing is (none / 0)

    Spitzer doesn't aim just to serve New Yorker's - he's in this for all of us.

    You know, I never really had political heroes growing up. I was always taught to despise politicians (I'm from Berkeley - we cop a lot of attitude - occupational hazard of the place) and so it's kind of strange to find people that you have un-alloyed admiration of: Jon Stewart is one, Spitzer is another, Kerry's working his way up there...

    (On Kerry: genuine heroism balanced by too much political expediency and a failure to speak the truth about Iraq earlier which suggests to me a too slow moral compass or too much political expediency)

    Were these people out there all along and I just didn't know it or are we living in times when moral clarity is on the upswing.

    by storme on Thu Oct 21, 2004 at 10:38:59 PM PDT

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