August 8, 2007 11:53 AM PDT

Music companies seek new money in old partners

With CD sales falling, major record labels look for new ways to turn profits in a changing industry.

The story "Music companies seek new money in old partners" published August 8, 2007 at 11:53 AM is no longer available on CNET News.

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Hurt the music companies. Buy used CD's
Or listen to indie or better yet, switch your all your spending on entertainment from music to DVD's, video games or something else. It's payback time for the record industry.
Posted by bobby_brady (742 comments )
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How is piracy a big drain on profits?
How many people that illegally download a song or two from the same CD would have bought the entire album had they not been able to download them? I think that 10% would be a generous estimate.

How many people that do nothing but download "pirated" music had bought even 5% of what they download? Zero, or near enough?

The music industry is using file sharing systems as a scapegoat for declining profits. The real culprit is the music industry itself. I don't think there is a time period where the music industry has produced such a massive amount of crap. The state of music from 1998-present is in terrible shape.

So quality is consistently in the sewer. Add that they severely overcharge for CD's and you have declining sales with or without rampant piracy.

The sooner the music label realize it and change it then sooner they will start earning a growth in sales.

They have no right to profit or growth. They must earn it, and thus far this century they have not.
Posted by The_Decider (3111 comments )
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That's just asinine - Title should be MORE of a profit
We all know they are really the ones getting the money all along while the artists ended up getting the smaller cut of the pie.

This title should read how can they continue to make more PROFIT. They are still making a killing.
Posted by imaginethepoet (1 comment )
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Prove that Piracy is a "big drain on profits"
I am so sick and tired of hearing that piracy affects profits. Get this, people are sick and tired of buying the same content in different formats. People are sick and tired of crappy "artists" who are actually nothing more than dancing monkeys for the organ grinder who is known as the recording industry.

Piracy is NOT the problem. The problem is that the dinosaur business model is crumbling and it is about time that it did.
Posted by R. U. Sirius (745 comments )
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Members of the RIAA are music distributors
The music industry, as it has existed until now, was based on the fact that distribution of recorded music was difficult, time consuming, and costly.

Computers and the internet has changed all that.

Distribution is easy, fast, and almost cost-free.

The members of the RIAA have been in the business of distributing recordings of music or printed copies of music.

They are no longer needed to print and distribute the media.

Like the blacksmith, they are an anachronism.

Musical artists would be better off without being indentured servants of the record companies.
Posted by sismoc (119 comments )
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Just in time too, I'd say
While I doubt the public cares either way, this is just what the artists need: more of their life controlled by these leaches. As if getting ripped off on ownership rights, sales figures and royalty payments weren't enough, now they can get screwed on promotions, personal appearances and concert revenues! Hooray!
Then again, this probably frees artists like Brittney Spears for even more focus on the important things in life like panty-less appearances, headshaving and yet another round of re-hab! Good times.

I kind of doubt many new artists care about this and are eager to sign up. Yet another sign of desperation in the ranks of the RIAA - they know their better days are behind them and they're trying desperately to prop up their dying regime - ever vigilant for yet another opportunity to stick it to somebody. Thank Lucifer they've got those congressmen squarely in their pockets or they'd really be in trouble!
Posted by skeptik (590 comments )
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