This type of information is only useful IF it's analyzed by capable people that actually have proper knowledge behind how this industry works.
This honestly sounds like some, we must hide the information from the peoppe for the good of the people none sesne. Yes data is most useful in the hands of people with the capability and knowledge to properly analyze it. Those people all have it because its their jobs that they actually get paid to do and then they in turn sell that info so no wonder they have top billings in it.
Like this isn't a reason basic information itself should be hidden.
Sharing a bunch of vage numbers to enthusiastic folks that will check it on their free time, it's not just unuseful, but usually hurtful.
No one ever asked about the level of use. People asked why there is no investigation into why they are pulling more and more information back. I personally do not think the things discussed on forums matter much. I also dont think a top 20 and hardware sales is what is causing huge damage to industry players.
People need to understand that information is power in many ways, not just a toy that you can mess around.
We should value data, and that's basically what they're doing.
Again, this sounds like some secret society type shit. Many other forms of entertainment provide this contextual data and those industries are not in crisis downfall. To say knowledge and information is power then advocate hiding it from people is literally backwards.
And this not me saying that we deserve information or it should be public domain because we want it (or I want it or w/e). This is me saying
1) The reasoning you are providing is poor on a fundamental level
2) Journalists should be exploring this and providing us with good researched reasoned information on topics like this. It shouldnt be left to our own speculation.