The LAMA M A N I F E S T O

From tenarts@primenet.com Tue Jun  6 23:32:04 PDT 1995
From: tenarts@primenet.com (Dean)
Date: Mon, 5 Jun 1995 16:28:28 -0700
Organization: LAMA


The  LAMA   M A N I F E S T O

LAMA exists in the belief that there is a tremendous undercurrent of
musical artists with wide potential appeal that currently have little or no
access to the airwaves. These artists are excluded from airplay for
economic rather than creative reasons. The reasons for this include the
following:

1.  Larger record companies seek to maximize profits by putting their vast
financial resources behind as few artists as possible. This is because they
can make far more money by selling a large number of records by a few
artists than by selling fewer records for each of a larger number of
artists. For example, a record company can make more money selling half a
million records by one band than it can selling the same number of records
by three bands. Although the same number of units are sold, a profit
differential results simply from the cost of overhead of supporting more
artists. The unfortunate fallout is that the music consumer has far less to
choose from; as a result, record manufacturers are able to charge
outrageously high prices for compact discs.

2. Larger record companies are able to limit competition in the musical
market place with the complicity of broadcasters, whom they depend on for
constant free publicity (airplay). By lavishing gifts on broadcasters...
free tickets to give away, free discs, perks, artist interviews, etc.,
etc., they make it  profitable for the broadcaster to play ONLY music that
has a large moneyed interest behind it. Independent artists, not having the
capital to advertise and compete, are excluded from airplay. This is not a
conspiracy; rather, both entities are simply doing what is best for
business.

3. While both record companies and broadcasters have every right to
maximize their profits, it is broadcasters who must ultimately be held to
blame for the lack of musical variety in commercial radio. Being in
possession of a limited resource (a frequency on the broadcast spectrum),
broadcasters have an obligation to operate in the public interest. We feel
the public interest is best served by offering the listening public as many
musical choices as possible, not by repeating particular artists or songs
ad nauseum. Furthermore, to exclude music from airplay simply because the
artist is not affiliated with a record company is nothing short of
discrimination. Public radio stations in Los Angeles have done the best job
of serving the public interest, and discriminate the least, while so-called
"Top 40" stations are the ultimate waste of a radio frequency.

4. SO, since it is obvious that the reciprocal relationship of the large
record companies and broadcasters will not be significantly altered in the
near future, the public interest, and artistic justice, can only be served
by providing the musical consumer with as much variety as possible. Since
the broadcast spectrum has been completely monopolized, the Internet
provides the only other means of broadcasting and giving artists and
consumers access to each other. This is the purpose of LAMA.

By promoting independent artists, we bring more variety, and more
competition to the musical marketplace. Our hope is that our efforts, in
concert with others who have a similar purpose, will yield the following
benefits to the general public:

A. Talented artists ignored by record companies and broadcasters will have
the opportunity to be heard by a far greater number of people.

B. Greater competition will allow the truly greatest artists to flourish
and endure.

C. Greater competition will encourage more competitive pricing of compact
discs.

D. The musical selection available to millions of listeners will no longer
be limited by the subjective whims of a tiny number of people (record
executives and broadcast programmers).

Revised 6/1/95