RIAA To Lose Funding?

Ars Technica reports that EMI, one of the Big Four Labels, is considering cutting funding for recording industry trade groups -- including the RIAA.

The RIAA campaign of intimidation via lawsuits against file sharers has been a financial disaster and an even greater public relations disaster. This may be why EMI is considering reallocating the funds used by the RIAA to invade their customers' privacy, sue their target audience, sue dead people, collude on price-fixing, and make false and/or misleading statements.

Via it's front group SoundExchange the RIAA is also responsible for the precarious place (financially and legally) webcasting is in right now thanks to the ridiculous Copyright Royalty Rate hike on internet radio earlier this year.

If EMI pulls funding it would stand to reason that the rest of the Big Four would follow suit. Could this mean the end, or at least the declawing, of the winner of the 2007 Worst Company In America award, The RIAA? I'm not getting my hopes up, but man does that thought make me smile.

A tip of the headphones to Ars Technica via Gizmodo via State Of The Day.