RIAA TARGETS CONSUMERS IN ANTI-PIRACY EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN

Digital pirates should be prepared to walk the plank, if Hilary Rosen and company have anything to say about it. Actually, they’ll have a great deal to say in the near future.

The major labels, with an assist from music community organizations like the RIAA, NARAS, NMPA, ASCAP and the Songwriters' Guild, are working together to launch an educational campaign aimed at music fans that will educate them about illegal downloading and burning. The massive multimedia PSA campaign targeting illegal downloading by consumers is expected to start over the next few weeks on both radio and television.

The organization is hoping to enlist top-name artists to tell their fans it’s not cool to illegally obtain their music through the Internet. In fact, a top-ranking anti-piracy official was dispatched to the MTV Video Music Awards last week to solicit artist participants, apparently with some success. According to sources, more than a dozen artists, including several multi-platinum acts, have stepped up to the plate thus far, expressing their willingness to participate in the PSAs. Their identities will be announced shortly.

The RIAA declined comment.