To continue the discussion on Wal-Mart's music policy, here's an excerpt from the book "Parental Advisory" by Eric Nuzum, a look at the history of music censorship. Nuzum catalogs instances from Tipper Gore's PMRC to the recall of the orginal version of The Beatles' Yesterday and Today. It was written with all the (lack of) objective of a pissed off music fan, but it's a good read nonetheless.

Nuzum talked to a Wal-Mart music buyer about its policy on carrying explicit albums, and it was a revealing conversation. Coolfer feels that the buyer did a good job explaining and justifying Wal-Mart's position, and he showed that there is much more of a thought process that most would assume. The author, I gathered, considers the policies to be unexcusable censorship. These are just bits of the chapter. Read in its entirity for a better picture.

The music buyer on Wal-Mart's policy:

"I am not saying it's right or wrong, I am just telling you what we do. At one point our company decided not to carry controversial music, and it was the single most positive marketing thing we have ever done in home entertainment. We get customer letters and comments that say they are glad we don't sell stickered stuff. Compared to the people who are upset we don't sell it, it is one hundred to one."

The music buyer on Wal-Mart's policy on album art:

"I don't even look at the covers. You have to look at this like a bar of soap. ... Do you take all the bar soap home and use it? No, you can't--there are hundreds. Do you review all the packages? No. You buy it based on who is bringing it to you, what is their past history of success, how much money they are willing to invest in marketing, what is the consumer interest in this kind of bar of soap, and what you think the potential is. Bar soap is not music, but they are both products."

Nuzum follows that conversation with Wal-Mart's "Statement on Stocking Entertainment Merchandise." It says that the chain is a "family-friendly" business, that it understands its customers, requires suppliers and distributors to control the "types of merchandise delivered to Wal-Mart" (the content) and it offers buyers and management to make decisions at the store level.

Continue reading "Wal-Mart's Policy on Music, Continued" »

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