I'm always suspicious of news stories based on interviews that begin with the words, "Psst, buddy!" No single record company is going to stop producing CDs that list for $18 and switch to hybrids that list for $23. They do have to compete, you know.
As long as the market is predominantly CD, the record cos. are going to have to deliver sub-$20 discs. If they can figure out how to make hybrids cheaply enough to make a profit at that price, then they can switch over.
Also, I understand that SACDs are copy-protected, in the sense that you can't get a digital out yet. But that wouldn't affect the CD layer, would it? So how does a hybrid disc solve the copy protection problem?