Universal CEO: 'iPod owners are thieves'


Today comes news that Universal CEO Doug Morris is calling iPod owners thieves, a familiar refrain from the RIAA and its music label members. Here's the money quote:

"These devices are just repositories for stolen music, and they all know it, so it's time to get paid for it."

Morris made the statement in a just-published BillBoard magazine interview. And, of course, 'getting paid for it' is a reference to Universal's deal with Microsoft whereby the music label will receive one dollar for each Zune music player sold.

This is a continuing theme from the world's biggest corporations, including--surprise, surprise--Micrsoft and its CEO, Steve Balmer, who has called iPod owners thieves, as well.

Editor's note: What is the message music buyers are supposed to take away from this?