A preliminary research on the music business models in a free culture：the example of independent music

Lawrence Lessig在Free Culture一書中探討了法律、新興科技以及媒體產業如何形成許可文化的制度，來控制我們的創作自由和取用公共財的權利，他指向一個核心問題：私益(private interest)與公益(public interest)之爭——在網路科技與智慧財產權交互作用之下的自由文化中，私益與公益如何達到平衡狀態？ 「音樂」具有可被數位化的特性，是傳播自由文化的理想範例，而筆者意欲探求的是：以臺灣的音樂產業為例，是否有可能在自由文化中形成一個讓「獲利」與「分享」並行不悖，甚至相輔相成的運作模式？最重要的是，這個模式要能發揚自由文化帶給大眾的公益，也要保障音樂工作者的私益。而在音樂產業中，「獨立音樂」次領域向來重視創作自主性，而自由文化鼓勵發想創意，兩者或許有媒合的空間，故本研究聚焦於獨立音樂。 本研究視臺灣的獨立音樂產業為資訊內容的生產與消費過程，運用Bourdieu的場域理論、資本理論、再製理論等學說，找出有哪些因素影響自由文化和獨立音樂的發展，並且探討贊成∕質疑自由文化這二種立場之間的辯證過程，以及各種利益如何折衝、妥協，從何達成平衡點。故本研究的目的包括：擬將探討結果回饋至對自由文化的省思，此為研究目的之一；嘗試建立一個自由文化中的音樂商業模式，此為研究目的之二。 本研究以深度訪談法訪談四種不同類型的獨立音樂創唱人（包括完全獨立的個體戶、社運歌曲創作者、大型唱片工業體系以外的獨立廠牌、大型唱片公司釋放出來的音樂人才，共訪談五組個人與團體），以及五家數位授權音樂網站（KKBOX、ezPeer、Omusic、StreetVoice、iNDIEVOX），並輔以參與觀察法和分析次級資料，來說明主要研究發現。 在「場域內行動者對於自由文化的認知」方面，本研究發現，「自由文化」這個名詞還不夠普及，這種現象反映出兩個事實：（一）受訪者對於自由文化的認知是分歧的：Lessig所言之自由文化是「在相當程度上開放他人據以再創造的文化」（Lessig, 2004／劉靜怡譯，2008，頁57）；然而，獨立音樂創唱人的認知則是創作行為上的自由、自由文化要能保障授用雙方的自由、自由文化等同CC授權制度、自由文化是一種行銷廣宣工具、自由文化等同網路賦予大眾使用的自由；授權音樂網站經營者們則認為「自由文化的核心概念是『服務』」。（二）Lessig的自由文化理念與實務有差距：研究結果發現，受訪之獨立音樂創唱人的開放心態和行為，要比Lessig「保守」許多，大多是停留在提供免費聆聽，少數開放下載，而其目的多半是為了廣告與宣傳效益。 在「獨立音樂創唱人的線上／線下活動與資本應用策略」方面，可以看出獨立音樂創唱人經營創唱事業的幾個重點：（一）線上∕線下資本會互相流動和兌換；（二）獨立音樂創唱人專注創作，唱片公司致力發行，二者保持地位對等的平衡關係；（三）獨立音樂創唱人有成為專職的趨勢。 在「想像一個自由文化中的音樂經營模式」方面，本研究根據各家授權音樂網站的經營特色，以及配合獨立音樂創唱人的需求、大眾的公益考量，擘畫了一個自由文化中的獨立音樂商業模式，其規劃重點在於：（一）免費與付費並存；（二）虛擬與實體並行；（三）著作權安定運作秩序；（四）經紀事務拓展人脈。整體而言，此模式試圖建構一個整合網路發表平台、付費授權網站、經紀公司的場域，各行動者之間要維繫的是一種夥伴關係，而非從屬關係。In his book Free Culture, Lawrence Lessig investigates how the legal system, modern technology, and media industry shape a permission culture to define our rights of consuming public goods and our freedom of creation. He orientates his core research question towards the dispute over the relative importance of private interests and public interests. In other words, how do we balance private interests against public interests under the dual impacts of the Internet technology and intellectual property rights in a free culture? “Music” can be digitalized, and it is a prime example of free culture propagation. This thesis examines the music industry in Taiwan and thereby explores the possibility of shaping an operational model that makes “profiting” and “sharing” compatible with or even complementary to each other in a free culture. More importantly, such a model should be able to promote the public interests generated from a free culture and, at the same time, secure the private interests of musicians. “Independent music,” as a subfield in the music industry, always emphasizes autonomy in creation, and a free culture encourages creation and innovation. Accordingly, we may couple independent music with free culture, and this thesis primarily deals with their relationship. This thesis treats Taiwanese independent music as a process of information production and consumption. It adopts Bourdieu’s theories about field, capital, and reproduction to identify the effective factors in the development of free culture and independent music. In addition, this thesis investigates the dialectical process between defending and challenging free culture, and how a variety of interests negotiate, compromise, and finally strike a balance among themselves. Therefore, this thesis aims to, on the one hand, use the research findings to reflect on free culture and, on the other hand, establish a music business model in a free culture. This thesis employs in-depth interviews, participant observation, and secondary data analysis to answer my research question. I interviewed four types of independent music composers/singers (a total of five cases of individuals and bands who are wholly-independent individuals, composers of social movement songs, independent brands outside the system of the large-scale record industry, or musical talents released from major record companies) and five licensed digital music websites (KKBOX, ezPeer, Omusic, StreetVoice, and iNDIEVOX). Regarding “the inside-field actors’ understanding about a free culture,” this thesis finds that the term “free culture” is not as popular as it is expected to be. This phenomenon implies two critical points. Firstly, the interviewees perceive the term free culture in different ways. According to Lessig (2004: 30),”Free Cultures are cultures that leave a great deal open for others to build upon.” However, for composers/singers of independent music, a free culture implies the freedom of creation. A free culture should be able to guarantee the freedom and rights of both original creators and users. It is equivalent to the Creative Commons licensing scheme. It is a tool of marketing and advertising. The freedom embedded in a free culture is similar to that offered by the Internet. In contrast, for managers of licensed music websites, “service” is the core concept of a free culture.” Secondly, there exists a gap between Lessig’s idea of free culture and practice. The research findings indicate that the composers/singers of independent music interviewed by the author are more “conservative” than Lessig. With the primary goals of advertising and propagating independent music, most of their works remain free for listening, while some of them are free for downloading. Concerning “the independent music composers/singers’ on-line/off-line activities and their strategies of using capital,” this thesis points out three critical points in their career management. Firstly, the on-line capital and the off-line capital flow to and exchange with each other. Secondly, these composers/singers devote themselves to creation, and record companies concentrate on issuing their works. Composers/singers and record companies maintain a peer status and a balanced relationship. Thirdly, the “composer/singer of independent music” seems to become a potential profession. With regard to “envisioning a music business model in a free culture,” this thesis designs a business model based on the managerial features of licensed music websites, the needs of composers/singers of independent music, and public interests. The model contains the following characteristics. Firstly, non-payment coexists with payment. Secondly, virtuality runs parallel with reality. Thirdly, copyrights stabilize the order of operation. Fourthly, agency transactions help establish connections among independent music composers/singers and people who are able to provide better performance opportunities. In general, this model seeks to open up a field that integrates platforms of Internet publication, paid licensing websites, and agencies. The relationship among the actors is equal rather than hierarchical