Pandora climbs in to bed with the devil

• Mike Norris

• July 15, 2009 6:42 am

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While the royalty battles between webcasters, online music services and copyright holders have been raging on for the last several months, the last several weeks have finally seen an end. While the “deals” made between the parties involved isn’t really that much of a deal in the traditional sense in that the copyright holders and other greedy individuals involved still walked away with more money, at least it’s an end to the fighting…for now. What is really disappointing however is the stance that Pandora, a music streaming service that used to be my favorite has taken.

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Pandora is getting flogged by the new royalty rates. While it won’t be the death of them in the present, it is by no means going to make them rich. Radio stations conveniently doesn’t have to pay the same rates as web based radio…and Pandora isn’t very happy. But instead of standing up for their own backsides and promoting the greater good, they have instead decided to partner with the enemy and support the Performance Rights Act which would extend the same rates to radio stations. Basically it’s a case of “if I have to do it…they have to do it too…” sibling mentality. Great job Pandora. You just succeeded in making my new music streaming service someone other than yourselves. While many will continue on in life knowing nothing of Pandora’s new friends, the informed few will surely feel let down at to the new road being traveled. I’m disappointed, aren’t you?

Source: Tech Dirt