Perhaps we, now, here, can begin this discussion...? I should like to read Clark's paper, for one. I've read about past losses of this kind (Camden, Atlantic Records in Long Branch) and it's insane to me that something like this could still have happened ten years ago. And if this is such news only *now*?
The Soviets learned sooner from Chernobyl. 

-------- Original Message --------
From: Alex McGehee <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, June 11, 2019 07:11 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] The Day the Music Burned

>To those who have not done so yet, Jody Rosen’s article in today’s NYT Magazine is a long but most worthwhile read. I realize there are a wide variety of views within our organization on political, business, economic systems, etc. It would be unfortunate to get lost within those now heavily traveled byways. 
>
>Suffice it to say, NBCUniversal’s neglect and subsequent loss was to all of us, incalculable. The systematic aggregation of a vast legacy of recorded sound by three incredibly large and powerful private corporations—whose priorities are clearly not in the area of recorded sound preservation—the substantial, intentional disinformation campaign that continues to the present day by these same entities; all work toward both a witting and unwitting destruction of so many creations of truly great art that properly belong to all of humanity—past, present and future.
>
>That a way out of this mire is nowhere near at hand must certainly now be a clear understanding of our collaborative organization (ARSC), and despite our relatively small numbers, we should be bold, clear and assertive in communicating dynamic solutions to this recorded legacy crisis. Rather than losing ourselves in regrets over the past (i.e. Camden, New Jersey; this 2008 NBCUniversal fire) or all the other sidelines we can, and do get distracted by, why does ARSC even exist it (we) cannot effectively rise to this challenge? 
>
>Please excuse me for asking what some may see as an unwelcome question, but where is the leadership of ARSC in even beginning to meet this challenge?
>
>Sincerely,
>Alex McGehee
>
>> On Jun 11, 2019, at 3:51 PM, Eli Bildirici <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> 
>> I was about to ask what the policy ramifications of a disaster of this kind should be. It seems to me that the megalocorps are poor stewards. 
>> 
>> -------- Original Message --------
>> From: Clark Johnsen <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Tuesday, June 11, 2019 02:44 PM
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] The Day the Music Burned
>> 
>>> An excellent article, better than one might have expected upon learning of
>>> the title. One caveat however — the writer, like most people, blithely
>>> assumes that “digitization” is a be-all and end-all. In fact there are in
>>> the numeric process as many forms and levels and sonic qualities as with
>>> analog. Plus the possibility of a “digital fire” must not be dismissed.
>>> 
>>> I should now draw your attention to a paper I presented to the 1986 ARSC
>>> conference in San Francisco, outlining all such considerations about the
>>> masters being dispersed around the globe (who knows where?) either in
>>> private hands or held in central facilities with little or no regulation or
>>> oversight. At the same time I advanced a proposal to create a taxonomy of
>>> extant masters but failed to vigorously pursue the matter. I did however
>>> submit the summary proposal to several important foundations and
>>> individuals, but received no response. So there, mea culpa, I let it rest.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On Tuesday, June 11, 2019, Jones, Randye <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Amazing article about lose of musical heritage
>>>> 
>>>> The Day the Music Burned
>>>> https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/11/magazine/universal-fire-
>>>> master-recordings.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article
>>>>