RIAA clamps down on CD pirate retailers
Posted on 17/05/05 18:37 by Nosmartz                             
RIAA clamps down on CD pirate retailers

According to the RIAA, CD piracy costs the music industry $300 million a year. The RIAA is targeting street bodegas and magazine vendors to start with. These small retailers are producing thier own cd's to make their product cheaper to buy and produce, easier to keep in stock, and keep volume low.

The RIAA has sued seven retailers for this type of piracy but what makes this unique is that these retailers had been warned previously and didn't take the warnings seriously. I guess these small vendor/retailers will take a second look at doing their own CD production from now on.

With such a minimal investment and a realistic potential for high financial return, a growing number of small retail establishments, which may be anything from a bodega to a magazine stand, are getting into the physical CD piracy market - with a bit of a twist.

What the RIAA finds particularly concerning is a growing shift in physical CD piracy production. Many small retail outlets are not relying on the high volume "commercial" pirates that produce tens and hundreds of thousands of illicit CDs. Instead, the RIAA has discovered a new, more elusive trend. Many retailers are simply creating their own pirated CD products 'in house." Seemingly typical retailers are selling home grown pirated CDs along with other merchandise for quick cash. You could say pirate CD production is becoming decentralized.

While the RIAA has claimed success in cities across the United States, such success is difficult to gauge in New York City. If there has been success in the Big Apple, its' reflection is not yet evident as the sheer quantity of pirated CDs continues to literally spill on to the streets.

To see what the RIAA is up to these days, go to Slyck.com.

Source: Slyck

Reactions
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By I Have Piles, Tue 17 May 2005 19:13
**What the RIAA finds particularly concerning is a growing shift in physical CD piracy production.** Growing shift? Blimey visit any Sunday market in the UK and there are 1000's of copied CD's for sale. Isnt it the same in the states?
By shuma02, Tue 17 May 2005 21:09
I don't know how it is in New York, from the article alone it seems as we can just go into a bootleg store and buy cd's. I haven't seen that in Los Angeles, yet. Granted the city is so far spread that one would need to know exactly where to go to get it, but i've been all over downtown and besides bootleg DVD's can't find anything else. Originally from Poland, I have similar experiences to the person above me; any given sunday take a walk to the local swapmeet and boom, thousands of cd's. But have never seen that here in L.A. Anywhere else in the states ???
By hamblo, Tue 17 May 2005 21:24
i too go to my local market and see at least 4 stalls selling pirate cds or dvds. maybe the RIAA dont work at weekends? Smilie
By cdubiak, Tue 17 May 2005 22:08
Actually...in L.A. you need to visit your local ghetto. Try the swapmeets in Del Amo....Santa Fe Springs....Venice Beach....etc. Get yourself some 20 inch rims while you're at it. Try not to get car jacked.
By petera, Tue 17 May 2005 23:18
peteraYour right about the sunday markets in the UK, my local one is swarming with them. I think the point the RIAA is trying to get over is that unlike the market stalls with their stock of hundreds of CD's and DVD's, these people make the CD / DVD on demand in the shop. I suppose this way it would be harder to charge them for mass piracy and only get them for having pirated stuff on their PC's. If this is a growing trend in the US then I suppose they will either have to :- 1. Get into undercover investigations or 2. Give the info the the police and them the real people do the job. It might be interesting to see how this develops...
By rla, Wed 18 May 2005 10:20
Growing Trend? Where has the RIAA been? I have seen loads of bootlegs and home made CD copies sold at flee markets and small retailers as long as 10 years ago. Is the RIAA trying to manipulate statistics so they can push for some new legislation by saying the problems is worsening or are they really blind as a bat? Damn these boys need to get out of the corporate ivory tower, take a break from their cash raising civil actions and get a clue. This is funier than the concept that the RIAA members give a hoot about the artists they screw over.

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