The Ruckus Music Service, an online media site providing college students access to free downloadable music, shut down Friday. The service attempted to give students a legal way to download music and other media.

The company offered no reason for closing other than a one-sentence announcement on its Web site that read, ‘Unfortunately, the Ruckus service will no longer be provided.’

‘We’re disappointed with the way that Ruckus operations shut down,’ said Christopher Sedore, interim vice president for information technology and chief information at Syracuse University. ‘Ruckus apparently did not feel the need to notify its partners. SU, along with many other institutions, was not notified in advance.’

Ruckus was started in 2004 as a subscription-based music service offered to more than 80 colleges and universities, and eventually expanded its service to include all students with working ‘.edu’ e-mail addresses. In 2006, Ruckus gave students the opportunity to access thousands of movies and television shows for $15 each semester.

Despite these advantages, Ruckus could not sustain itself.

There were some flaws of the network that affected students: for one, Ruckus was only compatible with PC’s. Since Mac computers are recommended by several SU colleges, many students were unable to use the network due to the digital rights management protection. Students tried to strip files from their protective-DRM coding, which is just as illegal as downloading the same songs off LimeWire, another music downloading service.

Sedore said he worries with the site’s closing, students will be more apt to illegally download content.

‘With Ruckus being a major source for downloading media at SU, students may increase their interest in illegal downloading, but SU has network devices that curb illegal downloading.’

Eric Zeleznik, a freshman television, radio and film major at SU, echoed those sentiments. He said Ruckus was effective because it recognized that students were illegally downloading music from LimeWire and other programs, and provided for that need.

‘(Ruckus) was making strides toward adapting, and basically it’s taking a step backwards,’ Zeleznik said about the site being shut down. ‘There will be no profit for the music industry because students will revert back to illegal downloading.’

Illegal downloading is nothing new to SU, which in 2007 had 37 pre-litigation letters sent to students by the Recording Industry Association of America for illegally downloading music on campus. The students caught were forced to pay more than $3,000 each to the association for offences and legal fees or risk further legal action. The letters spurred the university to block access to several file-sharing programs, The Daily Orange reported March 29, 2007.

Sedore said this problem has been a point of interest for the Recording Industry Association of America.

‘The RIAA has been focused for the last few years on addressing file sharing and has specifically targeted college students for sharing copyrighted material,’ he said. He added that the RIAA thinks record company revenue is being stolen through file sharing.

The RIAA stopped filing lawsuits against individuals involved in illegal downloading in December 2008. Instead, it now asks Internet service providers to alert their users along a ‘three-strike’ policy, and if a person is caught in an act of copyright infringement, his or her Internet access could be withdrawn.

Though media providers like iTunes and Rhapsody still thrive, Sedore said Ruckus was unique. ‘Though Ruckus had its flaws, it was an offering appreciated by SU students. There are few remaining alternatives to Ruckus, and it will not be easy to replace.’

smtracey@syr.edu

Published on February 10, 2009 at 12:00 pm