[LINK] CD sales plummet in first quarter

[Eleanor Lister]

Brendan Scott wrote:
>> CD sales plummet in first quarter 
>> http://www.smh.com.au/news/digital-music/cd-sales-in-free-fall/2007/03/22/1174153237037.html
>>
>>
>> US sales of music compact discs plummeted 20 percent in the first 
>> three months of the year as downloading of songs continued to knock 
>> the underpinnings from record studio revenues.
>>     
>
> It doesn't seem to indicate to what extent this is counterbalanced by increased download sales/lower manufacturing/distribution costs for internet sales. 
>
>   

interestingly, when Napster began, sales went 8% higher;  when it
crashed and burned, sales slumped by a similar amount.

it appears that internet downloads grow the market.


>> Protecting music from piracy is an unavoidable burden of online song distribution.
>>     
>
> Actually, it's not unavoidable if they shift their payment structures to be more front weighted.  It's only unavoidable if they want to keep their old business models. 
>
>   

yes, their market model is crap;  the RIAA and others are just furious
that they don't have a piece of the download action, even though it
doesn't hurt them.

CD sales down, Ms Rosen?  try this quick quiz:

* are you hiring new artists and taking risks?  or just polishing up
some pretty children to recite bland crap?

* is the "drop in CD sales" in $ value or units sold? what are you
measuring?

* do you honestly think that you can just keep building a library of
songs that you re-issue for every new distribution medium forever?

* what is your ethical justification for inserting yourselves between
the artists and the listeners?  what proportion of the gross is paid to
"the talent"?  have any of the DMCA fines been paid to the artists?

* why do you only sue the young and powerless?  is it because anyone
with any self confidence would fight you in the courts?  why do you
always settle out of court?  is it because your "lawsuits" are weak,
unfounded, and unconstitutional, even in Australia?

regards,
    EL

------------
Eleanor Ashley Lister
South Sydney Greens
http://ssg.nsw.greens.org.au
webmistress at ssg.nsw.greens.org.au