The store music police

This article from Australia sums up the mentality of some people:

A MOTHER outraged by clothing shop music peppered with the F-word could not find a single agency to deal with her complaint.

Deb Sorensen was in a city Deborah K clothing store this month with her 14-year-old stepdaughter and her friend when “degrading and offensive” music was played.

“We were subjected to a loud barrage of foul and highly disturbing lyrics, including the ‘F’ word,” she said. …

Store manager Hussein Kaiser dumped the music, which he said was chosen by young sales staff. But Ms Sorensen said there was nothing to stop others playing it.

Victorian Consumer Affairs had referred her to ARIA (the Australian Recording Industry Association), which sent Ms Sorensen to AMRA (the Australian Music Retailers Association), which suggested the Australian Retail Association, which passed her on to the ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission), which suggested ASIC (Australian Securities and Investments Commission).

Ms Sorensen also contacted her local MP and Melbourne City Council. While most were sympathetic, no one could help. …

“There is obviously a gap in legislation, and authorities seem confused about who is responsible,” the mother of seven said. “Vulnerable children should not be exposed to sexually explicit, violent material, anywhere, at any time.”

No there is not a gap or a problem. No new agency is needed to deal with complaints about what music is played in a private store. If you do not like the music, then never shop there again.

If you really feel passionate, about it then blog about it, twitter about it. Even stand outside and picket then (God knows why though as they clearly said they dumped the music). But don’t go demanding some Government agency do something.

What she should have done, if she was smart, was ring ARPA (Australasian Performing Rights Association) and tell them the store was playing music without having paid royalty fees to ARPA. They would have probably had a SWAT team down there within 30 minutes 🙂