Tracy Phelps

SLM 521

April 14, 2006

Online Course Module - Subscription Music

Objective Students will explore ways to download music online.

Objective Students will discuss viability and fairness of this media to artists and users of downloaded material.

Introduction The ability to download music isn’t much of a novelty anymore. There are hundreds of thousands of songs available online as well as various ways to find and download them. In the past, artists have been cheated out of royalties for their work because it was available online free of charge. Now there are subscription music sites.

In this course module, you will read articles about this topic and decide for yourself if this is a viable, long lasting medium by which to listen to music. In addition, you will discuss the fairness to the artist to have their work on the internet for a charge, or not.

Activity Visit the following sites and use them to create your own opinion about the online subscription music industry.

Article comparing subscription music services

http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/04/07/lets-buy-some-music-part-1/

http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/04/11/subscription-music-services-compared-part-2/

Article - Danger of subscription music services

http://www.joegratz.net/archives/2004/07/09/the-danger-of-subscription-music-services/

Places to get online music

http://music.yahoo.com/unlimited/

http://www.aircraftmusiclibrary.com/subscription.html

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060328/wr_nm/telecoms_sprint_music_dc

Assignment

After visiting the given sites, and any others you found in your travels, tell about your thoughts. Focus on the following questions and then elaborate as you see fit.

Is having online downloadable music fair to the artists? Should the artists have a say in which songs are available online and/ or for how long?

Will this be the way to find / download/ steal/ buy music in future years?

Should online music be free?

Submission In the Discussion Assignment area of the Blackboard course site, select the forum labeled "Subscription Music" and add a new thread that expresses your opinion and perspective on the subscription music issues.

Rubric

	Unacceptable	Developing	Accomplished
Subscription Music Discussion	Discussion does not address most given topics. Does not include student’s opinion and/ or evidence of research on the topic.	Brief discussion does not address all given topics. Discussion includes student’s opinion and some evidence of research on the topic.	Well crafted discussion focuses on the given topics. Discussion includes student’s opinion and evidence of research on the topic.