http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...c_biz__4_5bn_1
Thu Jul 22, 5:19 AM ET
Gordon Masson, STAFF
LONDON -- Illegal music sales accounted for $4.5 billion during 2003, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) claimed Thursday. (Note:
claimed, nothing about it being actual fact, so for all we know they may just be bullshitting us!)
The trade organisation, which represents the interests of more than 1,450 record companies around the world, estimates that a record 1.1 billion pirated CDs were sold globally last year, representing 35% of all music disc sales. But IFPI believes it is winning its battle against the pirates and claims the spread of piracy is waning.
Blaming piracy on "organized crime, government apathy and corruption", IFPI singled out 10 specific countries - 4 in Asia, 3 in Latin America and 3 in Europe - where wholesale anti-piracy offensives are most urgently needed. (Comment: Organized crime? What the fuck are you people talking about? Probably some pimple-faced geek with no money selling the CDs)
Publishing its Commercial Piracy Report 2004, IFPI made a 4-point call to governments asking for: strong and up to date copy-right laws; proper deterrent sentencing of pirates; regulation of disc manufacturing; and commitment to prosecute copyright crime aggressively.
Naming and shaming 10 priority countries where it says governments urgently need to crack down on rampant illegal music sales, IFPI's report outlines new evidence of suspected involvement in piracy by government, judiciary and civil service employees. (Note: Evidence of
suspected involvement. So it's only suspection, not really 100% fact again)
The 10 rogue nations are: Brazil, China, Mexico, Pakistan, Paraguay, Russia, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand and Ukraine. In terms of value, the list is topped by China, where IFPI says the pirate market is worth nearly $600 million. (Comment: Where the fuck is America? We steal shitloads more ;] But whatever. 600 million bucks? That's a lot, but the thing is, is it really costing you to lose money? I have yet to see actual evidence that you are losing money)
In a statement IFPI chairman/CEO Jay Berman said: "This illegal trade is funding organized crime, fuelling widespread corrup-tion and costing governments hundreds of millions of dollars in lost taxes. It is destroying artist careers and music cultures, and robbing countries with high piracy rates of billions of dollars of investment they would otherwise enjoy." (Comment: Music shouldn't just be about money, it should be about just playing. People are still going to pay for your concerts and CDs. Also, we're destroying artist careers? Really? So you mean Brit. Speares will no longer have the newest Jet plane, so she'll have to go with a model of last year's? OH TEH NOEZ! POOR SLUTNEY SLUTS! Puff Daddy needs to buy a new handgun with a gold handle instead of silver, but can only afford a fake gold handle. OH TEH NOEZ! POOR PUFF DADDY!)
Despite the record piracy figures, the situation would have been worse had it not been for IFPI's anti piracy investigators who, during the year, helped seize industrial scale CD-making equipment with the capacity to produce 300 million discs - equivalent to the legitimate CD markets of France and Germany combined.
My opinion on this: Quit your damn bitching, you are the people actually ripping off the musical artists. You cheat them out of royalties and then you threaten to take more royalties away if they don't go along with your little "Illegal MP3s hurt us and cost us to lose money". Signing off on this, I'm Kagom Jack.
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