Rotana cuts prices of Amr Diab

The Production Company Rotana has surprisingly reduced the sales price of the albums by Egyptian singer Amr Diab “El Lailah Di” (This Night) and Lebanese singer Pascal Mashalaani’s album “Akhid Aqli” (you took my mind), despite the fact that only a few days have passed since their launching. The price of each CD is close to 4 US dollars in Beirut, Lebanon; where Najwa Karam’s Album “Haida Haki” is being sold at $10 per CD.


The reason is unclear to why there is a difference between the prices of the albums that are produced by Rotana. The marketing manager at Rotana justifies the reason behind reducing Diab’s album is the fact that recently it was leaked and distributed on the Internet before it was officially released.


On the other hand Pascal’s album was reduced because it was released around the same time as Diab’s album was released and in order for the company to make any profit they must keep the price low. Yet Najwa Karam’s album kept its original price, because the marketing and sales division of the company must obtain permission from the owner of Rotana Prince Al Walid Bin Talal to make any changes.


According to the London daily Elaph, the marketing manager sees that there should be stricter rules on copyrights especially in Lebanon and Egypt. Rotana does not face the problems of copyrights in Jordan and Syria since it relies on specified distributors who have exclusive rights to distribute the albums and violators, who pirate the albums, are prosecuted. Rotana has stated that the fact of copying the albums and downloading them on the Internet has tremendously hurt the sales of the albums. Link