Representing the “Artist’s Perspective” at the Emusic by Vivendi Universal, Morissette said that the Internet has become “a bottleneck for creativity,” because the media conglomerates are attempting to apply traditional, profit-oriented business models to the new medium.
Congress, she said, can help preserve the Internet as a forum for uncommercial art to flourish. “I believe we have reached a point where legislative solutions have become necessary to acknowledge and protect our interests as artists,” Morissette said, calling for legislation that “stimulates competition and protects the free flow of information — laws that would support and foster new forms of distribution, subscription services, and make music accessible to the greatest number of people.”
Meanwhile, Morissette called on artists to be proactive to achieve such goals. “I encourage all artists to educate themselves as a means to demonstrate to all interested parties our readiness to be part of this process,” she said, adding that artists and fans should back businesses and political candidates who have a record and platform of supporting the arts.
Presented by Jupiter Media Metrix and Billboard magazine, the sixth annual Plug.In digital music industry conference continues tomorrow.
