Two recent studies about copyright, differing wildly in their conclusions and in the quality of their analysis. On the high quality side (via Slashdot) an article by Felix Oberholzer-Gee and Koleman Strumpf analyzing the impact of file sharing on the music industry. While this confirms what we thought informally, it is the first study I've seen with hard numbers: musicians income up due to increased demand for their live performances; the total production of songs way up, even as the recorded sales have dropped. Basically - the internet balancing distribution cost and business model against the reduction in demand for recordings has helped musicians and increased the output of music. A really careful detailed analysis.

On the negative side - I'm really sorry to see my former employer the RAND corporation sink to this - a study entitled "Film Piracy, Organized Crime, and Terrorism". As it turns out the authors are highly confused between film piracy and counterfeiting...well perhaps just highly confused. Maybe we should send the authors out to see Be Kind Rewind - that I suppose would qualify as movie counterfeiting.

What are the chances that the media, such as the New York Times, will publish an informative article on Oberholzer-Gee and Strumpf work so that the public is aware of it? Probably 0%.