BPI Elections - but is it a wasted vote? July 1, 2008
Posted by Paul Birch in : BPI , add a commentLets be honest about the BPI – it represents the majors pretty well, as for the independents, that’s another matter. BPI has already shown they are ready to change the constitution, even twice in one month, just to hold on to the majors.
The test is how committed they are to the Indies that’s at issue.
If you asked them if they would put the interests of any 100 members above the interests of the smallest of the majors, and they had to answer you truthfully, they would have to say “No we can’t do that”.
How about 200 members then? – Still no.
The entire membership? Still no.
Take the Chart for instance. As irrelevant as it is, the information that flows from it is important data. To market effectively Indies need this information, but the minimum charge to get it in any useful format is £3500.00. Recently as a result of pressure, the OCC introduced a lower subscription rate, but took away most of the useful tools – meaning Indies that can afford less are second class data citizens under the new deal. And in the 21st Century, information is power, we all know that. Can it be the BPI just don’t want the Indies to catch-up?
Companies have to make a choice. You either take the “One nation” view, goes like this; “We are all record companies together, doesn’t matter if we are majors or Indies, we all have the same problems. Yes there are areas we disagree – but come on we can work it out. We are all basically all on the same side”
Then there is the other view; “things used to be like that, but now the majors only represent themselves. They don’t trust us anymore, maybe for good reason, but we have to move-on and develop an Independent agenda for what we want for our side in any negotiations, and we have to join that up with AIM and IMPALA. When we have that one-view, we can then negotiate with the majors”
Sorry, I am sure there are at least three hundred views in-between, but you have to lean towards one or the other.
I am going to be honest. If you are for the first statement, don’t vote for me, I ain’t delivering that. Mike Batt’s your man for that, not me. You want to know where you stand with me, I am at statement two. In fact I used to be a statement one man. After I negotiated the creation of the Vice-chairman position to level the playing field for the Indies, the BPI intervened to allow the majors a vote on the Independent they wanted to see as Vice Chairman. The Indies were split on their vote, but the majors as usual voted unanimously. No surprise then they voted for the man they most wanted to negotiate with; Batt.
In this life, we have to be careful what we wish for….we just might get it!
How does that Meat Loaf song go?
