Forum discusses downloading

        Jim Griffin, adviser to Warner Music Group, told students in a forum Wednesday about the non-profit program, Choruss, which gives students at universities the ability to share music legally in any format for a low flat fee.
    Students realize it is completely voluntary to pay for music and ideas, Griffin said. In a civilized society, he said, it cannot continue to be a choice to pay for ideas, culture and music.
    “We believe at Choruss that music is an idea that cannot be owned as property,” Griffin said. “What we want to do is give universities the ability to offer students the option of paying a low flat fee to share with other students and universities in any format they choose.”
    Griffin said, “However, there are some issues to be researched and resolved.”
    “In every song, there are two rights: the songwriter and the performer/recorder of that song,” Griffin said. “Those two groups have to agree, so we have to research the best possible way to get two things: a pool of money and a way to the split the money between the songwriter and performer.”
    Choruss needs universities with willing students as participants to research and experiment with the usefulness of the program, Griffin said.
    “Some questions that were raised that we hope maybe Murray State could answer are ‘How do we equalize music?’ and ‘We can’t stop copyrighting, so how do we control it?’” Griffin said.
    He urged students to strongly consider working with this program and to think about what is best for the University as a whole, as well.
    “We want to prove that sharing of music can be done voluntarily while still compensating the people in the music industry,”
Griffin said. “The prices would be set based on what the students can afford. Within an open-market economy mind set, we can negotiate prices.”
    The discussion of music and ideas influences objects and other ideas, Griffin said.  He also said the people of Choruss believe ideas and knowledge should be equally open for distribution among all.
    “Nuclear weapons are not as harmful as destroying the economy of ideas,” Griffin said. “Nuclear weapons can only destroy tangible objects, but if we destroy ideas, we destroy mankind.”
    Jessica Minyard, sophomore from Taylorsville, Ky., said she does not download much music, but the program may be beneficial to other students. She believes it could be valuable to the rest of the student body.
    “If I understand correctly, I think it is a good idea to pay a flat fee to download and upload music,” Minyard said. “But I am not sure it would affect me personally.”
    “Murray State would have to see if the benefit of the program would outweigh the cost,” Minyard said. “But this is a good idea in theory. It may even increase the amount of file sharing if it works.”
    A former Kentucky college graduate, Griffin said he hopes a Kentucky university such as Murray State will take the initiative to try the experiment that could benefit so many universities and students.
    “Some things should never have a lock and key, especially the arts,” Griffin said.
    If the program passes through administration with enough student interest, students can begin using and experimenting with Choruss from the Fall 2009 semester through the Spring 2010 semester.
    Ashlee Cobb can be reached at ashlee.cobb@murraystate.edu