Karaoke Forums

I can see that some legal hosts mainly the cheerleaders, feel that all these legal actions will help our struggling industry. Could It be that it will have a negative effect? That venues will drop karaoke as entertainment because of all the legal problems involved. I think this whole court process could further depress an industry that is already on the ropes. What do you think?

I don't understand why you think karaoke as an industry is struggling. Where I live it's more popular than it's ever been. Hell, you can choose about ten different places to sing on any given night within a 15 mile radius.

I really don't think these lawsuits are going to have an impact either way. Cheerleading from the sidelines, I wish it would but the piracy problem is so HUGE that it may be too little too late. For every lawsuit filed against a suspected pirate, two more pop up around the corner. I think the manus need more resources.

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Sound Choice and Chartbuster Certified

NOTHING will help until the pirates start getting put in jail. They're criminals. Treat them that way.

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Dave's not here.

In my market, there has been no negetive effect from what I can tell. In fact it has helped my business. I has a new singer attending my show tell me the other location (that is in litigation with CB) she used to attend nolonger has all the songs she likes to sing. Plus (added bonus for me), she says my system is better than theirs, and they are know as a 6 nights a week karaoke bar.

So, now as I see it the is in fact an upswing in my business as a direct result of the lawsuits. On the other hand, if there is a market where the kjs ar all pirating their music and there are no legal host to fill the void then I can see where karaoke might decline.

Added thought: To date, none of the locations that have been named in suits have stopped having karaoke but 1 that I am aware of (I will check to see if my information is correct). I have been contacted by 2 other locations about my services but were unable to work with them becaust i was already booked.

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No venue to big or too small. From your den to the local club or event, we have the music most requested. Great sounding system!

If SC put the pirates in jail they'd go out of business tomorrow - that's their new customer base.

Thanks rumbolt for shining light on the TRUTH in your area as a direct result of the lawsuits brought by Chartbuster & Sound Choice in your area.

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"Just Say NO, To Justin Bieber & His Beatle Haircut"

For goodness sakes Wall, the least you could do is add a little musical flourish.... like this:
[slow, patriotic music in background]
[video backdrop of American flag, mom and apple pie]
[/fade slow, patriotic music in background]
[/fade video backdrop of American flag, mom and apple pie]

So if the the industry is not struggling why all the hand ringing? Can't we just let the market sort itself out and determine who wins and who loses? If all the lawsuits are not going to change things either way why go through this charade, if it could do more harm than good, why not seek a different approach? The only ones it helps is the manus, and I have heard most hosts, have no desire to pay them anymore than they have already. If the problem is so HUGE then why not have a HUGE solution to the problem? I have already elaborated on a blanket solution that I feel would solve the problem of piracy, but I guess it is too simplistic an approach the the problem. I'm still waiting to hear another solution, and as of yet I have heard none from other hosts, except for the standard manus are going to take care of us approach.

I don't believe the lawsuits were ever about helping the industry rather than to recoup monies lost to the manus via piracy stole from them. Who can blame them?
To me if it puts a pirate on a more equal level (or actually less really) as far as selection, then so be it - prefer that they go out of business, and some still may.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

So if the manus are not about helping the industry why are all the hosts so willing to help them, recoup the monies, to the point of submitting to audits, and the final insult paying for them? These are the loyal customers and yet they are treated with scorn and contempt! I can blame the manus for not keeping up on the advances in technology, and keeping their own product safe until it was too late. Now these self same manus want the loyal customers to foot the bill for their foolishness. It is time we all sit down and try to salvage what we can from this unholy alliance.

I am a loyal customer and have been treated with nothing but respect & kindness. Then again I pay for their products.

So that they are not lumped in with the pirates and not get sued I guess. Why wouldn't they help find pirates/report them, it's still going to benefit IMO. Even if it just knocks their 200K selection down to 6K. They suddenly don't have all the songs/versions people liked to sing & will seek their songs elsewhere - example above already given by Rumbolt.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

As do I!

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

Me too- but apparently there is a spending limit before the respect is shown, and it seems I haven't made their product enough of a priority in my collection..

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"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

I am not for letting the market place sort itself out as long as some people an unfair advantage based on theivery rather than compare show to show. It is not just the music costs but all of the other taxes and licenses, etc. that a legal host pays while an illegal host has much less overhead. The supply:demand ratio is also skewed when you have a huge supply of cheap/illegal hosts. I just don't think that stealing was intended as part of the equation in determining the marketplace.

Another reason this needs to stop is the effect on the singers and the general population. Singers seem to feel entitled to have every song and they don't care how. They have their own "practice/party" hard drives at home and anyone who is perceived as wanting to rock the free music boat will find singers mobilizing against them. Yes, that has actually happened to us. People seem to think that now that there is internet, everything can be had for free and if it can be had, then it should be had. It makes it hard to get a price for ANYTHING that is created.

Yup - you got it absolutely right, LL, and it's not just karaoke.

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Dave's not here.

well said rumbolt.
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"Integrity is choosing your thoughts, words and actions based on your principles and values rather than for your personal gain."
Unknown
"if a man has integrity, nothing else matters, If a man has no integrity, nothing else matters."
Lee McGuffey

So by your standard, as long as my business is doing well, I should not be concerned with the industry as a whole. That I should sit back and reap the benefits that the manus unintentionally rain upon me. Is the upswing in your business due only to the lawsuits, could it be that you are very good at what you do, and that maybe some customers actually appreciate you? Then there is the other point, despite the lawsuits, none of the locations have stopped having karaoke, and that maybe one, will maybe check to see in your information is correct. Did this venue say anything about taking action if it is true, and they find out the host happens not to be kosher? I don't think there will be a shortage of legal hosts in the for see able future, since all have stated they are in for the long haul. Some suspected pirates do a decent show and have good equipment, I can see them still doing business. Where I see karaoke declining is when it becomes more of a business, and less of a labor of love and an art form. Why do people come out and support the show? It is not because they love the host, it is because everyone has a need to express themselves artistically, to create, why not we are created in God's image!