UNC professor of economics declares p2p is not the fault of decreasing record sales
- Thread starter Nitemare
- Start date
kranky
Elite Member
- Oct 9, 1999
- 21,019
- 156
- 106
I think the professor is pretty much off base here.
His logic is that people who download music wouldn't have bought it anyway. So what? Why should they get to enjoy the music free while other people pay for it? Strangely enough, I know quite a few people who say they can't afford to buy CDs but don't seem to lack for the latest clothes and tons of DVDs.
They download music instead of buying it because they can get away with it, and they convince themselves they wouldn't have bought it anyway. And that's probably what they tell people like the professor.
His logic is that people who download music wouldn't have bought it anyway. So what? Why should they get to enjoy the music free while other people pay for it? Strangely enough, I know quite a few people who say they can't afford to buy CDs but don't seem to lack for the latest clothes and tons of DVDs.
They download music instead of buying it because they can get away with it, and they convince themselves they wouldn't have bought it anyway. And that's probably what they tell people like the professor.
halik
Lifer
- Oct 10, 2000
- 25,696
- 1
- 81
Well thats a great article and all, but it wont change status quo at all.
RIAA will keep on suing people, while people will keep on using kazaa. The CD sales will keep on dropping and ill be not buying CDs as usual.
I'm sure downloading hurts CD sales somewhat, but by no means the 20% decrese we've observed. But suing your consumer base will just aliante them plus the most flawed idea of em all - it will not make people buy music.
I mean say i hear some song on the radio and download it off kazaa that night. If RIAA managaes to wipe out all possible means of p2p (i wanna see that happen...), that will NOT make me run to the store that nigth and drop 20 bucks on a cd to get the song i heard earlier. It just wont happen.
My downloading or not downloading music (or software for that matter) doesnt change the situation one way or another.
EDIT:
I do buy DVDs however, MPAA has somewhat more modern apporach to the whole thing. First off they dont sue people left and right and second they give me and incentive to get the DVD. I like the extra features, behind the scenes, surround sound and all of that. I have 50+ dvd collection and probably the same amount of DiVX movies. Most of the time if i download a movie on divx thats really good, i go out and get the DVD.
RIAA will keep on suing people, while people will keep on using kazaa. The CD sales will keep on dropping and ill be not buying CDs as usual.
I'm sure downloading hurts CD sales somewhat, but by no means the 20% decrese we've observed. But suing your consumer base will just aliante them plus the most flawed idea of em all - it will not make people buy music.
I mean say i hear some song on the radio and download it off kazaa that night. If RIAA managaes to wipe out all possible means of p2p (i wanna see that happen...), that will NOT make me run to the store that nigth and drop 20 bucks on a cd to get the song i heard earlier. It just wont happen.
My downloading or not downloading music (or software for that matter) doesnt change the situation one way or another.
EDIT:
I do buy DVDs however, MPAA has somewhat more modern apporach to the whole thing. First off they dont sue people left and right and second they give me and incentive to get the DVD. I like the extra features, behind the scenes, surround sound and all of that. I have 50+ dvd collection and probably the same amount of DiVX movies. Most of the time if i download a movie on divx thats really good, i go out and get the DVD.
codeyf
Lifer
- Sep 6, 2000
- 11,854
- 3
- 81
The logic is if the person who downloaded it, wouldn't have bought it in the first place, they're not out any money.
The reason why people download is endlessly debateable and the point of the article.
I for one stopped buying cd's long before P2P/burners became popular. And on the rare occasion I did, they were used.
I still buy the occasional CD that's worthwhile even though I know I could download it free. I've downloaded a few CDs and within a couple of weeks I usually either delete it because it sucks or buy the actual CD because it's good.
the point is the companies do not lose any potential sale. then nobody is really hurt. but i agree emotionally it seems a bit unfair.
anyway i don't buy cds; i didn't buy them before mp3s became popular either
Ya, wouldn't it make more sense to say "UNC professor of economics declares decreasing record sales are not the fault of p2p downloading"?
" Strumpf, 35, and a Harvard University colleague concluded that online file sharing doesn't hurt music sales"
Vic
Elite Member
- Jun 12, 2001
- 50,422
- 14,337
- 136
That is not the point of the study, and is not at issue here (although I agree with you in part).
The point of the study was to counter the music industry's claim that every download meant a lost sale. The RIAA has outright said that their sales are down simply because of internet downloading, and for no other reason. (The BSA is known to make the same ridiculous claim as well).
Koleman Strumpf here proved the RIAA wrong, although everyone else but the RIAA already knew that. It's just common sense. Just because someone will take something that was given to them for free does not mean that they would otherwise had paid for it (even if that would have been the only way to acquire it). Considering the crap it constantly spews out these days, the RIAA should know that their product is not always that desirable.
IMO, I wouldn't be surprised if music sales went down if internet downloading was finally stopped.
brigden
Diamond Member
- Dec 22, 2002
- 8,702
- 2
- 81
This paper confirms my long-held supposition that downloading music illegally only affects a small fraction of record sales. One should not consider all music downloaded illegally to be a total loss of sales, but rather potential sales. Of those potential sales, only a very small fraction would actually purchase the music legally.
Nope, it's different. Movie theaters aren't the ones who manufacture the movies. The RIAA DOES decide who to fund and who to bring up as stars. I bet most of what's downloaded isn't the crap that's played on MTV (oh wait, no videos), but the lesser known bands and people's smaller favorites.
The movie industry has tons of studios striving to make the best pictures ever. The RIAA controls the most artists and is almost like a monopoly on the industry. It's a quite different picture.
-silver
Vic
Elite Member
- Jun 12, 2001
- 50,422
- 14,337
- 136
IMO, the decline in music sales can be tied to the decline of radio. Just like how most people see the trailer and read the reviews of a movie before they go to see it, most people want to hear a song of an album before they will purchase it.
For decades, radio served as a valuable marketing tool for the music industry. Now radio is more interested in shock jocks and talk than music, and the music industry has suffered.
Of course, being a luxury item targeted mostly to teenagers (who generally have much lower incomes than older adults, and whose income is usually dependent on an adult, like a parent), the economic downturn hasn't helped any either.
For decades, radio served as a valuable marketing tool for the music industry. Now radio is more interested in shock jocks and talk than music, and the music industry has suffered.
Of course, being a luxury item targeted mostly to teenagers (who generally have much lower incomes than older adults, and whose income is usually dependent on an adult, like a parent), the economic downturn hasn't helped any either.
TRENDING THREADS
-
Discussion Zen 5 Speculation (EPYC Turin and Strix Point/Granite Ridge - Ryzen 9000)- Started by DisEnchantment
- Replies: 25K
-
Discussion Intel Meteor, Arrow, Lunar & Panther Lakes + WCL Discussion Threads
- Started by Tigerick
- Replies: 23K
-
Discussion Intel current and future Lakes & Rapids thread- Started by TheF34RChannel
- Replies: 23K
-
-
Facebook
Twitter