CD producers claim lower prices mean lower quality
\n
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Sony BMG International's local agents in Jakarta have responded
\nwith confusion on Monday at last week's announcement by the
\nIndonesian Recorders and Traders Association that they would
\nstart selling original CDs, VCDs, and DVDs for between Rp 10,000
\nand Rp 12,500 on local market in a bid to compete with pirated
\ncopies that are sold for around half that amount.<\/p>\n
Current market prices for licensed imports range from Rp
\n75,000 to Rp 90,000, while recordings of local artists by local
\nCD producers sell for Rp 35,000 to Rp 45,000.<\/p>\n
Sony BMG International's assistant printing and promotion
\nmanager, Sundari, told The Jakarta Post that it would be
\n\"hard to sell CDs at such a low cost due the high outflow for
\ntaxes, royalties, and production costs.\"<\/p>\n
Musica Studio's production officer, Yus, also cited production
\ncosts as a factor making it impossible to sell quality CDs, VCDs
\nor DVDs at such low prices.<\/p>\n
\"The disks are made of plastic, which are derived from
\npetroleum products, and the price of oil just keeps going up,\" he
\nsaid Monday.<\/p>\n
Bambang Arbiantoro, operations manager for Sony BMG
\nInternational, confirmed that there was \"no way\" that production
\ncosts could be lowered enough to sell at the prices suggested by
\nthe association without decreasing quality.<\/p>\n
\"We wouldn't dare downgrade the quality of production,\" he
\nsaid. \"What is clear is that price reduction cannot be achieved
\nby lowering production costs or cutting royalties.\"<\/p>\n
Sundari agreed that any reduction in royalties would be
\n\"grossly unfair\" to the artists who created the music.<\/p>\n
\"The company has already reduced the price of albums by
\ndomestic artists to as low as Rp 35,000, which is already cutting
\ninto the company's profit margin. If we had to reduce the price
\nfurther, that would mean lessening artist's incomes.\"<\/p>\n
Bambang said that the technology used to produce CDs is the
\nsame, regardless of whether they are originals or pirate copies.
\nHowever, the quality of materials used is quite different.<\/p>\n
\"Basically there is no difference in the technology used by
\nlicensed recording companies and pirates. The pirates simply
\ndowngrade the quality of materials used to make the CDs,\" he
\nexplained, adding that his company always used the highest
\nquality materials.<\/p>\n
He said that an original audio CD has a thin acrylic layer to
\nprotect the injection-molded piece of clear polycarbonate plastic
\nfrom the laser points of CD players when the discs are played.
\nThis protective coating is not present in most pirated audio CDs,
\nmeaning they are easily damaged even after being played only a
\nfew times, he said, adding that this can also affect the quality
\nof the CD player. Another problem with pirated CDs is that the
\npolycarbonated plastic used is often recycled, resulting in poor
\nquality.<\/p>\n
He also cited the production value of packaging for original
\nrecordings. \"Original CDs are sold with jewel and polystyrene
\nboxes, which adds value to the CD itself, while pirated copies
\nuse common printing technology,\" said Bambang.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/cd-producers-claim-lower-prices-mean-lower-quality-1447899208",
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