Aloriel's Journal: RIAA moves to reduce artist royalty payments

RIAA is searching ways to lower the rate they pay music publishers and songwriters for the use of the lyrics and melodies with which they create sound recordings. RIAA argued that the rate hasn't been adjusted since 1981, and that piracy has devastated the music industry and that sales have plummeted because of illegal downloading even though publishing revenue has soared from ringtones and other new digital revenue streams. Obviously industry guess that musicians are not gonna like the idea. RIAA is also looking whether to sue or not manufacturers of new players that allow to record music directly from satellite radio since they consider this as unlicensed downloading.