Dave, we'll have to wait for the article to confirm that, but it's highly suspicious given the controversy surrounding music lately.
I don't disagree that Wal-Mart may have requested, and received, these censored versions. But to only supply them to Wal-Mart is highly irregular. However, Wal-Mart is also far more sensitive to their clientele, as I pointed out in my original post.
Part of KMart's problem has been their lack of reaction to customer needs and requests. Wal-Mart is the exact opposite, they respond to customer requests quickly. That is why a large number of albums were left off their shelves to begin with.
I suspect that Wal Mart may have requested these versions for a few reasons. Not least among them, to pick up sales where they had none before because they wouldn't put certain music on the shelves.
But, either way, it is as a result of their reaction to public opinion. The fact is any major corporation, should they respond to public opinion of this nature, could carry similar clout. Particularly if it could boost sales AND carry a PR message.
I don't disagree that Wal-Mart, as a large retailer, has the clout to request this sort of thing. By the same token, I'm quite sure (based on the hours that family advocates have spent skewering the recording industry up on Capitol Hill) that many more issues came into play OTHER than the "clout" factor. |
