Die Future of Music – Coalition hat die „Rock the Net: Musicians for Net Neutrality“ – Kampagne gestartet. Hauptelement ist eine CD-Kompilation, deren Erlöse in die Kampagne fliessen soll. Mit dabei sind die Künstler Wilco, Bright Eyes, They Might Be Giants, Aimee Mann, DJ Spooky, Portastatic, The Wrens, Palomar, Guster, The Classic Brown, Matthew Shipp, BC Camplight, David Miller, David Bazan (ex-Pedro the Lion) und Free Form Funky Freqs (Vernon Reid), die alle einen Track beigesteuert haben. Ziel ist, mehr Bewusstsein für die Bedeutung von Netzneutralität innerhalb der Musik-Community zu schaffen. Man kann die CD in US-Läden kaufen und in diversen Online-Stores.
Das Future of Music – Blog beschreibt den Hintergrund:
The current structure of the web lets the biggest companies and the smallest bedroom recording artist exist on an equal technological playing field. But big telecommunications and cable companies want to charge content providers (artists, labels — anyone who puts stuff on the web) a fee for the faster delivery of their sites. Those who couldn’t afford — or didn’t want to — pay a toll would be stuck in the slow lane. The Internet works because it belongs to everyone. All artists — big or small — have been able to use the web as a powerful tool to engage audiences. This all takes place without interference from gatekeepers and middlemen. But if net neutrality goes away, musicians lose an important connection, and fans lose the freedom of choice. That’s why we started the Rock the Net, which includes founding artists Death Cab For Cutie, R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Kronos Quartet and Ted Leo.
Auch wenn amerikanische Moderatorinnen anstrengend anzuscheuen sind: Das Video „Why it’s so important“ ist gut gemacht: http://www.futureofmusic.org/rockthenet/stories.cfm