Free music, legally
This is off-topic for both teaching AND online journalism, but it is related to copyright, so I’m just posting a brief heap o’ links: Paste magazine (cover price $7.95), includes a CD with 21 tracks and a DVD full of short films; found it in the Austin, Texas, airport; bought it because the Flaming Lips were on the cover. Through Paste, I found some music sites (including eMusic.com, where you get 25 free songs and then pay only 25 cents per song) and Paste Radio. Then I went to the Creative Commons page for Audio links and rediscovered Magnatune (”We are not evil”), which I had bookmarked months ago and forgotten about. I’m not saying copyright is wrong, but who doesn’t like free stuff? (My last bill from iTunes was about $25, so I think I’m holding up my end.) Last but far from least, the Live Music Archive.
I do think there’s a connection to the journalism business: We also need to get paid to produce our product, like the musicians and producers and recording companies. We also need to give stuff away for free. Finding the right mix is devilishly hard. The right answer, however, will always include free stuff.
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