Piracy: It's a Crime?

With recent coverage in the media concerning the likes of music and movie pirating, it has me thinking about the beginning of the trend. I would think that it could be traced back before the digital medians we know today (though at the moment, the idea of someone stealing a printing press to churn out counterfeit manuscripts is the best I can come up with).
Technically it is illegal for someone to keep a video taped movie or program for extended periods of time. The same is true for music recorded with a recorder. Were the makers of these devices aware of what could happen with this sort of technology given out to everyone? I would think so, but more of a deal is being made because it can now cut into the profits of those medians which are being copied and replicated. Many would not see this as a syphoning of corporate profits, but there are adherents to anti-piracy laws and think that theft is theft. The fact that they can still rake in sufficient and very real profits stands as a fact that not everyone is a pirate and will still go out and buy. One would have to think whether this sort of behaviour is actually more prevalent today than it ever was.

Interesting note: Christian music is quite the popular target of piracy. Aside from breaking the 'Thou shall not steal" command, it has caused a split-side argument between those who do think it's just stealing, and those who think that rapid distribution is an effective means of dispersing the word. Catering to all parties perhaps?