On Sat, 14 Dec 2002, chris wrote:
> >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 $$, they
> didn't quote counts, so it could be from lowered prices, but since I
> haven't noticed CD prices going lower, I doubt that). The numbers were of
> course given by the RIAA, with no source quoted (so the assumption is it
> is from their own internal book keeping).
Those figures are meaningless to me. In an era where books are so cooked
that they're Cajun style, I want independently audited numbers.
> However, the article also nicely pointed out, that the figures the RIAA
> were quoting were specifically for sales from record stores (ie: Tower,
> Sam Goody, places like that). When asked about sales from ONLINE stores
> (like Amazon.com), the RIAA said they didn't have those figures
> available. Nor did they have available the sales from recording industry
> web sites that offer MP3 purchases or similar.
Of course not, because if they did provide those they would probably be
shooting themselves in the foot, and they're not THAT stupid apparently.
> Since they were claiming sales of CDs were down only something like 8 or
> 9 million... I think it is pretty darn reasonable to say that those
> missing dollars from store fronts could easily be accounted for from
> online sales (and far more $$ I am sure).
Or from a severely depressed economy. Perhaps they should be turning
their focus towards the government and direct its ire at the real reason
for sagging sales: a shitty economy made worse by a war mongering idiot
and his den of opportunistic nincompoops.
> 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!)
Exactly.
Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival
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Received on Sat Dec 14 2002 - 20:45:00 GMT