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As part of its report, the RIAA for the first time has identified 12 “priority” cities as part of its nationwide physical goods piracy assessment. |
The copying and trafficking of pirated music is an increasingly sophisticated trade plied by savvy multi-state criminal operations that distribute illegal product designed to resemble authentic CDs and replace legitimate sales, according to new data and analysis released today by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in a report on commercial piracy.
As part of its report, the RIAA for the first time has identified 12 “priority” cities as part of its nationwide physical goods piracy assessment. These cities – Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Providence, San Diego, and San Francisco – are all “hot spots” of music theft, with significant piracy problems from the manufacturer level all the way down to the point of retail sale. The RIAA will step up law enforcement training and commit additional investigative resources in all of these cities in the coming year.
In an effort to lure consumers, enterprising pirates are increasingly producing unauthorized compilations of popular hits as well as counterfeits that add bonus tracks – going well beyond merely duplicating an existing album. In addition, some compilations include counterfeit trademarks on the packaging or discs to create the appearance of legitimacy.
“As the pirate music trade continues to evolve, criminals are enhancing their products and attempting to dupe consumers with illegal CDs that look authentic,” said Brad Buckles, Executive Vice President, Anti-Piracy for the RIAA. “This is a disturbing trend. The music community loses hundreds of millions of dollars each year to physical piracy. Today’s sophisticated pirate trade demands even greater awareness and action from us, our partners in the music community, law enforcement and music fans. When consumers buy the real thing, everyone wins – not only the fan who bought a high-quality CD but music stores, artists, record labels and everyone else involved in making music.”
In 2005, more than 800 law enforcement departments across the country engaged in more than 4,000 anti-piracy actions, making 3,300 arrests and seizing more than five million pieces of pirate music product in the United States – an 11 percent increase over 2004. The RIAA estimates that the music industry loses well over $300 million a year to domestic physical goods (non-Internet) piracy alone.
