Karaoke Forums

Is there any real reason for the bar owners to get certified? Would that help scare off pirate hosts? Wouldn't be easier to certify venues instead of hosts.

_________________
Still love to sing!

Read this

http://scsafeharbor.com/

I think Sound Choice has a viable program and potentially one that could really benefit the industry. It just needs to be finessed. If we can get the venues to care more about who they hire, then it will put pressure on the pirates which is a good thing for the rest of us.

I recently put some marketing together to promote my karaoke business and originally was going to include all of the Safe Harbor materials. But after sitting down and really reading it, I decided not to.

When marketing materials lead off with "Help Us Keep You Out Of Court" it grabs my attention, but it also puts me on the defensive. I don't want that for venues I want to work at. I think the overall tone is too negative as well. I would love to see it get re-worked to convey the same message with a more positive tone.

-Chris

_________________
-Chris

I agree about the neg start off. Ya I would think though SC, CB, ect... would rather get the venues onboard first. That to me would be better because they ARE the ones doing the hiring. If they had a easy, quick way to certify, I think most venues would do a better job of not hiring pirates.?? Maybe? It would be a "I have mine, do you have yours?"

_________________
Still love to sing!

I'm not sure what you're referring to.

Are you referring to the bar owners who own their own systems?

Or are you referring to the safe harbor program?

Basically the safe harbor program type thing where the bar owner polices their employees. IE; The KJ. If the establishment had a certification process they had to go through wouldn't they then only hire certified hosts? Wouldn't that help run pirates out of biz. And you wouldn't have to chase pirates, be no place to go. You could do that online then check up on them at a later date in person. Be a pain to check every phone book for every town, but can be done online. I know of no one getting in touch with smaller venues not even by mail. As I said up top It would be a "I have mine, do you have yours?"

_________________
Still love to sing!

SMALL VICTORIES lead to bigger ones.

_________________
Still love to sing!

I think you've hit on precisely the reason why we started that program.

But it is difficult and expensive getting the word out, and hard to get bar owners to listen until their money is on the line.

Have you tried getting volunteers to help mail out, chase down venue addresses, get phone numbers, ect.... And some of your pamphlets are worded to harshly right off the bat. Bar owners don't understand better shows more customers. They just looking for cheap.

_________________
Still love to sing!

outllawXsound,

That is what the legal hosts in our area do. We volunteer and distribute information to the venues and try and educate them as to the legalities.

That's great, love it. What I am talking about is places that have never heard (and there are places) of the lawsuits. How to get the word out to the venus? You know pirates don't talk about lawsuits. They don't care till they get caught, then cry like babies

_________________
Still love to sing!

That's why the legal KJ's here got together to distribute the Safe Harbor paperwork to every venue we could find. We kept a spreadsheet that lists any venues and if they had been given the paperwork and spoke with, so that the same venue doesn't end up with multiple packets.

We are not currently delivering packets because we have covered most in our area. We try to plan trips and time to cover a small area when we can and do not travel exclusively to drop packets but we would combine the drop offs around our schedule. As business improved less time is available to drop packets.

We DO NOT drop packets while canvasing for work as we want the venues to understand that this is something we do as a service to them, not in order to book a show. Some venues did react in a negative manner for a short time, until they heard about other places being sued.

It is not an instant fix, the process did not work overnight but it does work.

...Well, a few of us have brought this subject up before but some don't seem to want to support this idea. However, some of us do believe the Venue is the missing link for various reasons: #1) provides a checks & balances system, #2) could lower the legal liability for the venue, #3) makes it harder for a KJ to do multiply gigs, at the same time & date, off of one library. And yes, other reasons.

...However, we do feel that it would require a Separate Association (one that wasn't just made up of Karaoke Manufacturers) and would require a yearly membership for both the Venue and KJ.

...With today's technology, it could be done.

Remember SC's plan isn't to stop piracy, it's to recoup lost revenue. Scaring off hosts prior to suits doesn't give SC an opportunity to recoup losses. To send out mailings to every venue offering or considering to offer karaoke would be quite expensive for Safe Harbor and even if it was effective it would be cutting into SC's income.

I would love to see something that was industry driven as opposed to manu driven to do exactly what you guys are talking about.

Something where venues become members, KJ's become members, manus become members all coming together to help with piracy. Until KJ's, venues and manus start working together I don't think we'll see any real change.

_________________
My statements, opinions and conclusions are based on my own personal experiences, observations, research and/or just my own $.02. I'm not a "cheerleader", but that doesn't make me a Pirate.

Now there's an idea I like.

_________________
Still love to sing!

And you are very right.

_________________
Still love to sing!

I still can't figure out how to give this independent association the bite it needs. There could be plenty of value added for all (Hosts, Venues and Manus) to make the fees and regulations worth while.

It doesn't really need THE BITE. We as a group could be the bite by boycotts, protests. Come to our other thread please. And the regulations are already in place, ask the manus.

_________________
Still love to sing!