The RIAA

[Flurry]

Is it really needed?

 

[Evil Eye]

The what?

 

[DrLeftover]

The Recording Industry Association of America.



As a trade-group, it still has it's place.



As a lobbying effort that spreads money around in DC to buy influence with that bunch of corrupt assholes in Congress, well, it will probably always be with us in one way or another.





As a Rating organization. No, it would appear that it has outlived its usefulness.



The RIAA is essentially the same thing as listed below in reference to two other groups. (and now that you mention it, perhaps it should be added to the Glossary in that light.)

E.S.R.B., Entertainment Software Rating Board

Industry supported non-profit advisory board which sets content standards for software and video games. The board began in 1994 as the industry's response to concern from parent groups and social watchdogs (do-gooders) who objected to some of the more extreme content in certain games, see Hot Coffee for example.

Their six categories for material rated by the board range from Early Childhood, preschool age and above, through Mature and Adults Only (which see) for content recommended only for those above the ages of 17 or 18 respectively, which are the only Ratings they have which apply to this Glossary's topic. Note: said ratings are registered marks of the E.S.R.B..

Below those six categories is an extensive list of modifiers and content descriptions covering many types of objectionable content. For more information see their website at http://www.E.S.R.B..org/





Rating

Various meanings, some of which are as follows.

Most usually refers to some sort of scoring system based on a given number of marks where more indicated better. Often seen in restaurant reviews. Also similar systems used by others to indicate preference for everything from roller coasters and websites, to dates. See Little Black Book.

More to our point here.... The somewhat arbitrary classification as to the appropriate audience for a particular work. Started as the 'G', 'PG' etc scale of ratings for the theatrical release of motion pictures by the Motion Picture Association of America. Has since spread to include video games, software, magazines, television programs, and even websites like BruthaDeep.com. Ratings came into play as a way to avoid the censorship of the content of motion pictures that had been common since the 1930's. Two of the most important ratings houses are the M.P.A.A. and the E.S.R.B., which see. Also see: X-Rated, Adults Only, Family Hour, Hot Coffee, Chick Flick, Adult Movie, Censorship, Gratuitous Sex / Nudity, Provocative, and related. Note quote at Mae West.

Truth be told, the various content Ratings systems are a passive form of Censorship of the various works which they categorize. There are a number of cases where the Director or Programmer has presented a finished item, be it a motion picture or a computer game, and the board has sent it back for 'correction' instead of labeling it as created. That practice is indeed censorship. The controversy over the various systems is far from resolved. See: Censorship, Free Speech, and related items.

 

[Evil Eye]

Ah, thank you. (Yes, I could've looked it up, but this makes it easier for others too.)



Anyway, as far as ratings go... aside from the small children ones they are often ignored in my experience.

 

[Flurry]

I get why you at least need censoring for the young kids. But other then that, its not even really needed. Although after a lot of article reading on techdirt. I do think they need to quit trying to hoard all things Music.

 

[Temerit]

I dislike the RIAA because of the lobbying they do to support legislation like Protect IP and SOPA.



I think they need to accept the new reality of (endlessly replicable) digital music and live performances and adjust their business model accordingly.

 

[Flurry]

I dislike the RIAA because of the lobbying they do to support legislation like Protect IP and SOPA.



I think they need to accept the new reality of (endlessly replicable) digital music and live performances and adjust their business model accordingly.

I agree with this whole heartedly.