[ihaveanosebleed]

It’s a very complicated subject. Lets not forget what giant conglomeration spearheaded the burner industry while manufacturing the world’s best selling console.

Sony’s got a good thing going on, they are media giants producing music, games and movies. They are electronics giants producing hardware to play all this media. They invented, developed and produced CD burning equipment and recordable media. Even if your burner is not a Sony brand,. You can be sure it has some Sony components or leased patents.

The talented artists signed to conglomerations like this might see 5-10% of the profits, maybe a few lucky ones 15% at the most. The cost to mass-produce these pressed CD’s and DVD’s, well under 50 cents including case and inserts. It’s no wonder ever other artist in the US seems to be popping out their own labels.

Music, games, DVD movies, they could sell all these CD’s for under $5 and they’d still be raking in billions. But wait a minute!! What about the huge rental and burning industries these conglomerations have a stake in? They’d all fall flat it they started selling CD’s for a reasonable price now. It’s a fine tight rope Sony needs to walk to stay on top. Maintain just enough sales to keep prices sky high, keep demand high on popular titles, destroy overstocked titles. Keep the moral majority fooled that Pirates are the real thieves while selling them the hardware they need. Don’t talk about gray market profits.

Pressed Original = 0.50
Blockbuster rental = 3.99
Recordable media = 1.00

Playing the victim = Priceless !!