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Digital copying and the supply of sound recordings

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  • Handke, Christian

Abstract

One concern with digitization in markets for information goods is that unauthorized, digital copying will reduce the number and quality of original works supplied. Despite a substantial literature on the effects of piracy on demand for recorded music, information on the supply-effects of digital copying is limited. This paper presents empirical evidence that digital copying has not reduced the supply of new, copyrighted sound recordings in Germany. Even with a strong reduction in sales of sound recordings that coincided with the diffusion of digital copying technology, the annual number of new titles released to the market continued to expand. Results indicate that the number of new titles released has not deviated significantly from a long-term upward trend. The paper also presents evidence that the amount of time listening to sound recordings has not fallen over this period, suggesting no strong decline in the quality of new work.

Suggested Citation

  • Handke, Christian, 2012. "Digital copying and the supply of sound recordings," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 15-29.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:iepoli:v:24:y:2012:i:1:p:15-29
    DOI: 10.1016/j.infoecopol.2012.01.009
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    Cited by:

    1. Marc Bourreau & François Moreau & Patrik Wikström, 2022. "Does digitization lead to the homogenization of cultural content?," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 60(1), pages 427-453, January.
    2. Aguiar, Luis & Waldfogel, Joel, 2016. "Even the losers get lucky sometimes: New products and the evolution of music quality since Napster," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 1-15.
    3. Aguiar, Luis & Martens, Bertin, 2016. "Digital music consumption on the Internet: Evidence from clickstream data," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 27-43.
    4. Kim, Jin-Hyuk & Leung, Tin Cheuk, 2021. "Eliminating digital rights management from the E-book market," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    5. Savelkoul, Ruben, 2020. "Superstars vs the long tail: How does music piracy affect digital song sales for different segments of the industry?," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    6. Joel Waldfogel, 2016. "Cinematic Explosion: New Products, Unpredictabilty and Realized Quality in the Digital Era," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 64(4), pages 755-772, December.
    7. Christian Handke & Carolina Dalla Chiesa, 2022. "The art of crowdfunding arts and innovation: the cultural economic perspective," Journal of Cultural Economics, Springer;The Association for Cultural Economics International, vol. 46(2), pages 249-284, June.
    8. Luis Aguiar & Joel Waldfogel, 2018. "Quality Predictability and the Welfare Benefits from New Products: Evidence from the Digitization of Recorded Music," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 126(2), pages 492-524.
    9. Handke, Christian & Girard, Yann & Mattes, Anselm, 2015. "Fördert das Urheberrecht Innovation? Eine empirische Untersuchung," Studien zum deutschen Innovationssystem 16-2015, Expertenkommission Forschung und Innovation (EFI) - Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation, Berlin.
    10. Casidy, Riza & Phau, Ian & Lwin, Michael, 2016. "The role of religious leaders on digital piracy attitude and intention," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 244-252.
    11. Leung, Tin Cheuk, 2015. "Music piracy: Bad for record sales but good for the iPod?," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 1-12.
    12. Christian Handke, 2013. "Empirical evidence on copyright," Chapters, in: Ruth Towse & Christian Handke (ed.), Handbook on the Digital Creative Economy, chapter 22, pages 249-261, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    13. Telang, Rahul & Waldfogel, Joel, 2018. "Piracy and new product creation: A Bollywood story," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 1-11.
    14. Joel Waldfogel, 2015. "Digitization and the Quality of New Media Products: The Case of Music," NBER Chapters, in: Economic Analysis of the Digital Economy, pages 407-442, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    File-sharing; Digital copying; Copyright policy; Record industry; Event study;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O34 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Intellectual Property and Intellectual Capital
    • Z11 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economics of the Arts and Literature
    • L82 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Entertainment; Media

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