Recording Industry Launches Holiday Anti-Piracy Campaign, Offers Shoppers Innovative Gift Ideas And Tips For Avoiding Pirate Product
Source: RIAA
Jan 11, 2008 - 7:15:56 AM
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Fifteen cities with worst incidences of piracy are focus of industry and law enforcement -- more than 3.7 million counterfeit CDs netted in 2007
Washington DC – As the holiday shopping season picks up, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has launched a series of initiatives to offer consumers tips for avoiding pirated music, work with law enforcement to disrupt major distribution chains of counterfeit product in 15 cities with exceptionally high piracy rates, and highlight some of the innovative new legal products to fulfill music lovers’ wish lists.
The RIAA is focusing its efforts in cities where the illegal underground music trade is most prevalent, especially highlighted by a disproportionate decline in legitimate retail sales. These “hot spot” cities include Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Orlando, Philadelphia, Providence, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco and Tampa. So far this year, RIAA investigations have netted a total of approximately 3.4 million counterfeit CDs and 3,940 arrests during raids on suspected premises where illegal underground operations were taking place throughout these regions.
Working with local law enforcement officials throughout the country, the RIAA continues to focus its attention on major pirate product manufacturers responsible for feeding “pre-release” and newly-released music into illicit retail markets. The organization and its investigators also continue to focus on the retail markets where the illegal products are most frequently sold, such as small vendor establishments and flea markets. According to a recent report by the Institute for Policy Innovation (IPI), the global theft of music cost the U.S. economy $12.5 billion in lost revenue and more than 71,000 jobs and $2 billion in wages to U.S. workers.
Industry officials offered the following tips to help holiday shoppers avoid illegal goods and get the real thing:
• Remember the Adage “You Get What You Pay For”: Even if you are hoping to get your favorite movies or albums at a discount, new or used, extremely low prices might indicate pirated product.
• Watch for Compilations that are “Too Good to Be True": Many pirates make “dream compilation” CDs, comprised of songs by numerous artists on different record labels who would not likely appear on the same legitimate album together.
• Read the Label: If the true name and address of the manufacturer is not shown, it is most likely not legitimate product. These products often do not contain a bar code. In addition, if anywhere on the package it reads that the disc is an “All-Region,” “0-Region,” or “No Region” product, it’s highly likely that the CD or DVD is pirated. Furthermore, if the record label or movie studio listed is a company you’ve never heard of, that should be another warning sign.
• Look for Suspicious Packaging: Carefully look over the packaging and beware of products that do not look genuine. Packages with misspelled words, blurry graphics, weak or bad color should all raise red flags. Inferior quality print work on the disc surface or slip sleeve cover, as well as the lack of original artwork and/or missing studio or label, publisher, and distributor logos on discs and packaging, are usually clear indicators that the product is pirated. CDs and DVDs with loose or no shrink wrap or cheaply made insert cards, often without liner notes or multiple folds, are probably not legitimate product.
• Watch for Product Being Sold in Unusual Places: CDs and DVDs sold in non-traditional venues, like flea markets or on the street are probably not legitimate.
• Trust your ear: The sound quality on pirate CDs and DVDs is often poor or inconsistent.
In addition to tips to avoid being duped by counterfeit product, the music industry is offering exciting legal products to satisfy music lovers’ appetites for innovative content this holiday season and steer shoppers away from cheap, illegal products. Just a few examples of popular offerings currently in select stores include:
- USB card wrist bracelet with the new Matchbox Twenty album “Exile on Mainstream”
- K.T. Tunstall iTunes Digital Album card for "Drastic Fantastic" available at Starbucks
- Taylor Swift’s “Sounds of the Season” Special Holiday Album (custom for Target)
- U2’s “The Joshua Tree” in four configurations, including a 2 CD-set bound booklet deluxe edition and a super deluxe edition in a case bound book and 5 portfolio prints (2 CD/DVD set)
- “Into the Wild” Soundtrack iTunes Digital Album card available at Starbucks
- Linkin Park’s “Minutes to Midnight” Music Video Interactive (MVI) DVD + Bonus CD featuring superior sound quality, a wide range of video features, and interactive digital content
- Special festive cell phone ringtones like Maria Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas”
- Norah Jones iTunes Digital Album card for her latest release "Not Too Late” available at Safeway
“The good news this holiday season is that there is no shortage of compelling music being offered in innovative, exciting ways for any fan of any age,” said Brad Buckles, Executive Vice President, Anti-Piracy, RIAA. “The bad news is that there is plenty of pirated music being sold and that means we need fans to be especially vigilant.”
“Our heads up for consumers – don’t be lured into buying pirated music by the deceptive bargain offered,” added Buckles. “Those hawking pirate CDs are not selling music for a discounted bargain, they are simply selling plastic at an exorbitant price because they made no investment in the art or artist and the plastic costs them pennies. We encourage fans to remember that the seemingly innocuous street vendor is but the tip of the iceberg. Behind those vendors are often extensive, profitable criminal enterprises that illicitly manufacture and distribute massive quantities of pirate product and are increasingly involved in other crimes like drug and weapons trafficking.
“At the same time, the illegal trafficking of counterfeit music drives local retailers out of business and deprives cities and states of important tax revenue generated from legitimate purchases. With all the great ways to get high quality, affordable legal music either online or at retail, we hope all fans will pay attention to what they buy and make sure to get the real thing.”
Additionally, the music industry offers a wide array of legal, hassle-free services where fans can purchase their favorite music at affordable prices. For a list of these services, please visit www.riaa.com.
The Recording Industry Association of America is the trade group that represents the U.S. recording industry. Its mission is to foster a business and legal climate that supports and promotes our members' creative and financial vitality. Its members are the record companies that comprise the most vibrant national music industry in the world. RIAA® members create, manufacture and/or distribute approximately 90% of all legitimate sound recordings produced and sold in the United States. In support of this mission, the RIAA works to protect intellectual property rights worldwide and the First Amendment rights of artists; conducts consumer, industry and technical research; and monitors and reviews state and federal laws, regulations and policies. The RIAA® also certifies Gold®, Platinum®, Multi-Platinum™, and Diamond sales awards, as well as Los Premios De Oro y Platino™, an award celebrating Latin music sales.
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