The Pirates of Cardiff
Cardiff has the lion’s share in music piracy. Why is that? How can each of us improve the situation?
The heart of a large number of music pirates beats in Cardiff, say high officials of the British Phonographic Industry Sales Association. As 2006 ends, the BPI has published the annual accounts of profit for music companies for 2005. The sales once more have decreased. Figures for music companies estimate a bigger loss than in previous years. In 2005, 37 million CD’s were sold in the United Kingdom, that being 10% of total sales. This amounts to £165m. Music companies are now pressurising the police and consumer advice centres to initiate investigations at areas where the crime is committed more frequently.
According to the BPI recent findings, pirates operate in areas with high unemployment and low incomes. Cardiff appears on the top of the list of such areas. The level of unemployment in Cardiff and in particular the south of Wales is high. For this reason criminals want to earn money by selling cheap copied products of CD’s and DVD’s. Their operations are carried out in small cottages in the villages around Cardiff, Newport and Swansea. Local businesses are directly affected. The managers of both Virgin Megastore and HMV at Queen Street admitted that music downloading and piracy affected considerably their sales. However, they did not wish to reveal statistics for competition reasons.
What is therefore the option of the conscientious citizen? What each of us can do in order to curb the problem? The answer lies with the phone numbers of the Crimestoppers and of the Consumer Advice Centre in Cardiff. Mr Mike Davies, from the consumer advice centre said that he disagrees that Cardiff has become the centre of music piracy in the UK. “Recently we have investigated twelve record shops out of which four, were selling illegal copies of copyrighted material. We seized 40% of their stock.” He also said that his team receives a respectable amount of calls from citizens daily, who they report illegal trading of copyright material. “Most of them act on malice. We cannot investigate every single case, but we always file complaints and treat each case in accordance with its gravity.”
However, can the problem be curbed from its root? Mr Davies replies with some despair: “The point is to understand that downloading illegal copies of copyrighted material can be compared to shoplifting. They are both criminal offences, albeit the former can be committed with just a simple click of the mouse.” He stresses the simplicity of the action: “Today, anybody with a personal computer can become a pirate. Anybody who copies, performs or records material without prior permission by the copyright owner might end up in jail.” The Consumer Advice centre has the power to enter private property and seize illegal material in the name of law and under police orders.
In effect, next time that you will burn a disc to your loving one, beware. It is more likely that he will appreciate your gift if you buy him the original product instead.
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