In regard to my forthcoming typos and dumb logic, I offer you my sincerest apologies in advance. I’ve been looking at the computer screen (working) for seven hours, non-stop. My mind is acting funny.

Remember a few weeks ago when I pointed to this article in WIRED about how “indie” labels were taking on major labels by starting the centralization process? I spoke about how they’re forming a lobby group (the AAIM, or American Association of Independent Music), trying to get local or independent artists played on major radio stations, and generally attempting to end the dominance of major label music on the airwaves? Well, today they received a huge gift from the FCC in the form of an agreement regarding payola scandals between the FCC and CBS Radio, Clear Channel, Entercom, and Citadel that would require the four broadcasting companies to pay a 12.5 million dollar cash settlement to the government, and provide 8,400 half-hour segments of free airtime for independent labels and local artists.

Sounds kind of cool, right?

NO. IT’S NOT.

Basically, the decision gives clout to the AAIM, and enables the them to act more like its big brother lobby group, the RIAA. A victory of this magnitude might allow the AAIM to attend to those pesky privacy issues mentioned in the WIRED article—because, you know, indie artists are being hurt too by piracy—even though they’re not in it for the money, they’re in it for the art.

Please excuse me for a moment while I laugh heartily.

(insert guffaw)

It seems weird to say that this is a sad day for music listeners, since the decision delivers some kind of blow to major music labels and broadcasters (now they only have twenty-three and a half hours each day to play the same songs over and over again—drat!), but I think it’s somewhat warranted. In the future, we might be able to draw parallels between this decision and the anti-trust suit against AT&T that led to the creation of the Regional Bell Operating Company. Inevitably, the “Baby Bells” were acquired by or formed companies like SBC, Qwest, and Verizon. When doors are opened for smaller companies to get a foothold in an industry there is a tendency to treat it as a sign of progress, but once those companies accrue enough power, they become the assholes who dick-over (sorry for the technical jargon) their customers.

Here’s what you can glean from the “most historic agreement that the independent community has had with radio,” according to the owner of some record label whose most recognizable artist is Sex Mob: you can expect to hear new hot tracks from Sufjan Stevens and the Shins fifty times a week on your area’s major FM station (because, after all, the major “indie” labels have much more money to spend on promotion than smaller labels!). You can also also expect to see a lot more lawsuits filed, or cease-and-desist orders sent to “indie” websites, like the one received by this website last month. Even though everyone involved is totally “indie,” and not in it for the money.

News stories such as these will not interest me in the slightest until more stations change to a freeform format, and place control in the hands of DJs, not commercial interests.

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