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May 15, 2005

TV Shows, btefnet, and money that doesn't exist

So after months of taking advantage of the wonderful service provided by a TV recording torrent site (btefnet.net) the MPAA has decided to step in and take the site down with a lawsuit. That same day the site itself went down, probably due to being scared by this lawsuit. This would all have to happen on Friday the 13th of all days too. So what's the problem with this? Let's go over the checklist...
It's pretty obvious thanks to the RIAA that downloading music for free is bad... check.
Downloading movies is bad because you didn't pay $7.50+ to go see it then $20 for the DVD when it finally comes out... check.
Downloading TV shows that are first aired nationally (over standard TV airwaves for many of the popular TV shows in question) and recorded by someone and then shared with others.... huh????
OK so what makes it "illegal" to receive a copy of a TV show that was given away to begin with? I'm sorry, but I can't agree that sharing TV shows is illegal.
Let's take a look at one article explaining what recently happened (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4545519.stm).
"In March, TV downloading made headlines with the appearance of the long-awaited new series of Doctor Who on the net before it was even broadcast."
OK great. How about blaming who ever leaked it out to begin with? Sounds like propaganda or a single reason among thousands of legal TV show downloads to shut everything down.
"There are thousands of people in the entertainment industry who are working to develop, produce, and promote television shows. Those shows and those jobs are worth protecting," said Dan Glickman, MPAA chief.
Maybe they should stop giving away their content over public airwaves then. I'm not giving them any more or any less money if I'm watching the show as it's aired live or if I'm watching a recording of it. And don't even start about commercial revenues. I mute commercials, fast forward them, ignore them, and typically don't care about them to begin with. Just because I saw that commercial for Partypoker.com for the 100th time doesn't mean I'm going to head off to their website.
"Every television series depends on other markets-syndication - international sales - to earn back the enormous investment required to produce the comedies and dramas we all enjoy and those markets are substantially hurt when that content is stolen."
Apparently no one has mentioned the words "global Internet-driven economy" to the MPAA. It's a new concept I agree, but you can either embrace new things or shoot them in the head. Apparently big business is more about shooting things in the head. Terrorists. That's what we all are! Change is BAD!
Because TV programmes are usually shorter than films, they are processed - or digitised - quickly.
Maybe it's also because they're so available to everyone because they're broadcast nationally first? And anyone with a VCR or Tivo or digital recorder of some sort can get their very own copy? I don't have to go to the movie theater and try to sneak in a camera to get a recording of a TV show like the illegal movie downloads. I didn't have to buy a CD and make MP3 of the songs to share it with my friends. I just turned on my TV and there it was, provided free to me to begin with. So if I want to get that same show from a different medium what's wrong with that? No money gained, no money lost. It is all about money, right? Right???

Posted by Plocmstart at May 15, 2005 9:07 PM

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