AlexMax
01-22-2003, 10:30 PM
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/business/AP-Rosen-Resignation.html
Music Industry Lobbyist Rosen to Leave
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 7:47 p.m. ET
NEW YORK (AP) -- Hilary Rosen, the U.S. recording industry's head lobbyist who waged a high-profile battle against Napster and music piracy, is resigning at the end of the year.
Rosen cited personal reasons for leaving the Recording Industry Association of America, where she has served as chief executive since 1998.
``During my tenure here, the recording industry has undergone dramatic challenges and it is well positioned for future success. I have been extremely proud to be a part of this industry transition,'' Rosen said. ``But I have young children and I want to devote more of my time to them.''
Advertisement
She said the RIAA board will conduct a formal search for a replacement.
David Munns, chairman and chief executive of EMI Recorded Music North America, called Rosen ``a tremendous advocate'' who has been ``extremely influential in both transforming the music industry in the digital age and in fighting piracy.''
The recording industry has been struggling with declining sales, which Rosen has blamed on illegal downloading over Napster and successors like Kazaa. Album sales declined for the second straight year in 2002, down 10.7 percent from the previous year.
Within the past few weeks, top executives at Sony Music and Vivendi Universal's MCA Records also said they were leaving.
Rosen's departure comes as the organization sought to soften its image among Internet consumers, many of whom viewed the RIAA -- and Rosen personally -- with antipathy over incessant pressure for crackdowns on sharing digital music over the Internet.
On Tuesday, Rosen's group won a closely watched lawsuit seeking Internet providers' cooperation in tracking down individual computer users who illegally download music. Verizon Communications Inc. had resisted, citing privacy concerns.
The RIAA recently set aside a simmering dispute with leading technology companies by agreeing to oppose any government efforts to build locking controls into future generations of entertainment devices.
Technology companies have complained that such controls, which would hamper consumers' efforts to share movies and music, are too expensive and complex.
The recording industry also has been promoting its own, for-fee online music services, but consumers have largely rejected them because of usage restrictions and limited selections.
Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Va., a leading advocate of consumer rights to copyright works, said it was too early to tell whether Rosen's departure would fundamentally change the industry's stance toward the Internet.
``I do not think that she has been a spiritual champion of the industry embracing the Internet as a distribution medium,'' Boucher said. ``I think the industry clearly needs to do that. It's the only way that the industry has to compete with peer-to-peer'' file-sharing services like Kazaa.
Others praised her tenure and said she would be missed.
``Hilary has been a valiant, brave leader for the U.S. music industry,'' said Jack Valenti, president and chief executive of the Motion Picture Association of America. ``I confess that I am an ardent admirer of her skills, her tenacity and her integrity. She'll be a hard act to follow.''
Even her adversaries had praise.
``While we don't always see eye to eye, I think that she's extremely good at her job,'' said Joe Kraus of Digitalconsumer.org, which promotes greater ``fair use'' rights to songs and movies. ``Hilary's had a big influence in the way that members of Congress view the issue.''
But ultimately, he said, the recording industry is broader than any one person, so her resignation may not profoundly change attitudes.
Rosen was an independent consultant before joining the RIAA in 1987. She also is a founding board member of Rock the Vote, an organization aimed to get younger people more politically involved.
DING DONG THE WITCH IS DEAD!!!!!
Music Industry Lobbyist Rosen to Leave
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 7:47 p.m. ET
NEW YORK (AP) -- Hilary Rosen, the U.S. recording industry's head lobbyist who waged a high-profile battle against Napster and music piracy, is resigning at the end of the year.
Rosen cited personal reasons for leaving the Recording Industry Association of America, where she has served as chief executive since 1998.
``During my tenure here, the recording industry has undergone dramatic challenges and it is well positioned for future success. I have been extremely proud to be a part of this industry transition,'' Rosen said. ``But I have young children and I want to devote more of my time to them.''
Advertisement
She said the RIAA board will conduct a formal search for a replacement.
David Munns, chairman and chief executive of EMI Recorded Music North America, called Rosen ``a tremendous advocate'' who has been ``extremely influential in both transforming the music industry in the digital age and in fighting piracy.''
The recording industry has been struggling with declining sales, which Rosen has blamed on illegal downloading over Napster and successors like Kazaa. Album sales declined for the second straight year in 2002, down 10.7 percent from the previous year.
Within the past few weeks, top executives at Sony Music and Vivendi Universal's MCA Records also said they were leaving.
Rosen's departure comes as the organization sought to soften its image among Internet consumers, many of whom viewed the RIAA -- and Rosen personally -- with antipathy over incessant pressure for crackdowns on sharing digital music over the Internet.
On Tuesday, Rosen's group won a closely watched lawsuit seeking Internet providers' cooperation in tracking down individual computer users who illegally download music. Verizon Communications Inc. had resisted, citing privacy concerns.
The RIAA recently set aside a simmering dispute with leading technology companies by agreeing to oppose any government efforts to build locking controls into future generations of entertainment devices.
Technology companies have complained that such controls, which would hamper consumers' efforts to share movies and music, are too expensive and complex.
The recording industry also has been promoting its own, for-fee online music services, but consumers have largely rejected them because of usage restrictions and limited selections.
Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Va., a leading advocate of consumer rights to copyright works, said it was too early to tell whether Rosen's departure would fundamentally change the industry's stance toward the Internet.
``I do not think that she has been a spiritual champion of the industry embracing the Internet as a distribution medium,'' Boucher said. ``I think the industry clearly needs to do that. It's the only way that the industry has to compete with peer-to-peer'' file-sharing services like Kazaa.
Others praised her tenure and said she would be missed.
``Hilary has been a valiant, brave leader for the U.S. music industry,'' said Jack Valenti, president and chief executive of the Motion Picture Association of America. ``I confess that I am an ardent admirer of her skills, her tenacity and her integrity. She'll be a hard act to follow.''
Even her adversaries had praise.
``While we don't always see eye to eye, I think that she's extremely good at her job,'' said Joe Kraus of Digitalconsumer.org, which promotes greater ``fair use'' rights to songs and movies. ``Hilary's had a big influence in the way that members of Congress view the issue.''
But ultimately, he said, the recording industry is broader than any one person, so her resignation may not profoundly change attitudes.
Rosen was an independent consultant before joining the RIAA in 1987. She also is a founding board member of Rock the Vote, an organization aimed to get younger people more politically involved.
DING DONG THE WITCH IS DEAD!!!!!