>What I'm referring to is the recording industry claiming their sales have
>dropped. First of all, I want to see hard data to prove this. Second, I
>want this dat to be from an independent auditor. Lastly, I want an
>independent analyst to confirm whether this is because of rampant CD
>copying on college campuses or if it is as a result of the economy.
I can't link to the report, because I don't recall where I saw it
(actually, I think I saw it in a local newspaper)... but there was one I
read recently that did site hard numbers to show that sales of CDs from
record stores have dropped over the last year (based on sales $$, they
didn't quote counts, so it could be from lowered prices, but since I
haven't noticed CD prices going lower, I doubt that). The numbers were of
course given by the RIAA, with no source quoted (so the assumption is it
is from their own internal book keeping).
However, the article also nicely pointed out, that the figures the RIAA
were quoting were specifically for sales from record stores (ie: Tower,
Sam Goody, places like that). When asked about sales from ONLINE stores
(like Amazon.com), the RIAA said they didn't have those figures
available. Nor did they have available the sales from recording industry
web sites that offer MP3 purchases or similar.
Since they were claiming sales of CDs were down only something like 8 or
9 million... I think it is pretty darn reasonable to say that those
missing dollars from store fronts could easily be accounted for from
online sales (and far more $$ I am sure).
This is the stuff you have to be VERY VERY careful to read between the
lines when looking at anyone's "facts and figures". You can distort this
kind of data into telling you anything you want it to say (I work in
Market Research... we are experts at distorting reality with numbers!)
-chris
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Received on Sat Dec 14 2002 - 11:32:01 GMT