Essay: Freeing podcasters to promote music creatively

Have you ever wondered why Blues Power isn't available to you each week on a podcast?  This past fall I wrote a "persuasive research essay" for my Expository Writing 2 class at K-State which detailed the frustrating situation that faces podcasters who want to share music and outlined one possible solution.  A mess of RIAA-backed copyright regulations make it impossible for most podcasters to share music legally, including those of us at the Wildcat 91.9 who would like to podcast our shows.  This seems strange when one considers the promotional benefits of podcasts and how much major labels are having to cut costs to stay afloat, not to mention the uninforceable nature of existing regulations.  In my paper, I argued that if record labels simplified regulations and streamlined licensing, they could harness the power and enthusiasm of podcasters to promote music in exciting new ways while also collecting royalties from the podcasters.  I don't care one way or another about the record companies themselves, but I do care about the great musicians of whose work they are stewards, and I think that if people are willing and able to pay royalties and follow regulations, they should be able to share and promote great music without devoting themselves full-time to the licensing process.  I submitted the paper to the Kansas Association of Broadcasters Student Awards (which the Wildcat 91.9 always dominates) and received first (although I believe there were only three entries in the undergraduate research paper category).  Click here to read the full paper (pdf file in Google docs).