A few days ago the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) published a press release heralding a recent anti-piracy raid (Secret Service, RIAA Hit N.Y. City Music Piracy Operation). News sources, such as InternetNews reported on the press release ('Tis the Raiding Season). However, not until this morning was the strange secret behind the following statement from the press release revealed:
In what is the largest seizure ever of equipment used to pirate music onto blank CDs in the United States, the U.S. Secret Service, assisted by a team of investigators from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), on Monday morning raided a major music piracy operation in New York City, leading to the capture of 35,000 finished CD-Rs, 10,000 DVDs, the equivalent of 421 CD-R burners and the arrest of three individuals. [emphasis added]
What is the equivalent of 421 CD-R burners?
According to The Register, the RIAA has now explained the discrepancy (RIAA in a spin over CD copying bust).
"There were only 156 actual burners, but some run at very high speeds: some as high as 40x. This is well above the average speed."
In related news, the New York Times (reg. req.) publishes a Reuters wirestory in which the RIAA once again whines about poor CD sales and blames piracy for their woes (Music Industry Raps Swappers for Off - Key Sales). And just what are a couple of the big albums that haven't been selling as well as expected? A live album from ex-Beatle Paul McCartney and a posthumous release from slain rapper Tupac Shakur. Geez, I just can't imagine why shoppers aren't just buying those CDs in droves.