What a great concept! I've always liked the idea of open source programs, and have often wondered about a free-trade or open license option for media rights. It just makes sense. A blogger who has no feasible income from their creative outlet to generate content and a musician who has no real way to promote themselves really make a perfect duo.
I love the idea of low-price contract licensing as well. You sign up now for the options that you think you might need in the future, and send in the contract at the time that you need it. This way all the bases are covered. You have legal price protection for the future and you have legal access to the work for your free service now. All the while, both you and the artist are gaining from the arrangement.
Creative Commons is another great idea. I've looked at them in the past for some of my design classes, attempting to find good quality free images of a diverse amount of subjects. The limited release copyright is a wonderful concept. The artist retains control of the original media, but the user gains the ability to use the art to fit their needs (as long as they provide the proper credits as determined by the user agreement/copyright license).
Ultimately, I think that this is the direction that the world needs to head in. I've been a big supporter of the Marxist system, the original Marxist system, not the perversion that became Big Block Communism, where everyone provides their own services in exchange for access to everyone else's services, a world-wide barter system that allows the people, all the people, not just the select few, to be provided for. The new direction of these media outlets is a great step in that direction.
Marxism, really? Be careful what you wish for...
ReplyDeleteLike I said, the idealist's version of Marxism, not the perverted and corrupted version that became Communism as we know it today. In an perfect world, under perfect conditions with an enlightened society, Marxism would allow everyone access everything, from food to health case to shelter and services with all the stops in between without the need for a currency exchange. I know it's a fantastical example, but tink of the Star Trek barter/trade system, where everyone provides their own service, be it through an enlisted Star Fleet (government) position or through some other form of gainful employment. This in turn entitles them to access to the other services available from the other members of the community.
ReplyDeleteThe world is nowhere near ready for this type of system now. One of the caveats is that we must create an enlightened society, one where the current greed and self-centrism that dominates the human thinking doesn't exist. Perhaps one day we'll be able to exist with this type of arrangement, but for now we'll just have to continue slogging through with our current situation.