Positive outcome of web 'piracy'?

Miyazaki · 11-07-2008, 4:48 AM

People downloading tv shows to catchup on the latest episode before it hits the UK is obviously affecting ratings figures over here.

To subvert that, Heroes is the latest tv show to air closely in the UK after the US premiere.

How many of us remember in days gone by, where we had to wait 6 months after a US premiere to watch our favourite shows ?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7499980.stm

**zAndy1** · 11-07-2008, 6:09 AM

mmmm but does that include the HD broadcast on BBC HD?

JohnG · 11-07-2008, 6:43 AM

That's a good sign. The other thing that bugs me is that some shows aren't even released on Region 2 DVD. For example, Rescue Me has had 4 seasons in the US all now available on DVD, over here we've only had the first 3 seasons with no sign of the 4th being aired over here and we only have the first 2 seasons on DVD.

kBm · 11-07-2008, 7:31 AM

It can only be a good thing!

Sky did show Lost Season 4 at the same time as the USA (i think it was a week out). I hope it contiues with other shows and not just the big hitters.

Although, we'll never catch up with Neighbours.....

Goooner · 11-07-2008, 10:44 AM

I've bought loads of DVDs (R1 and R2) of TV shows that I've only seen beacuse I've downloaded them, a lot of them never see the light of day over here and if they do, turn up in the middle of the night on some obscure channel, so the industry has certainly benefitted from me downloading

I remember a few years ago, when Friends was big, we often had to wait a year, before it turned up on C4.

Same with movies, since downloading and region-free DVD players, rather than waiting for weeks or in some cases months for movies to cross the pond, they're more often than not released the same day, if not then the following week now.

JonnyTester · 11-07-2008, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kBm

It can only be a good thing!

Sky did show Lost Season 4 at the same time as the USA (i think it was a week out).

And has always done so with The Simpsons.

Sonic67 · 11-07-2008, 11:06 AM

Several programmes have become a hit over here thanks to word of mouth. People download programmes from America and tell others about them. When the programme appears here on the normal TV stations there's already a level of interest.

13-07-2008, 2:27 AM

No offense to anyone but there was a time when people wouldn't be boasting about stealing things because at least deep down they knew they were doing something wrong.

pringtef · 13-07-2008, 8:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tunococ

No offense to anyone but there was a time when people wouldn't be boasting about stealing things because at least deep down they knew they were doing something wrong.

I think people, myself included, might take offence not in the right of you to have an opinion, which you're free to express, but in the assertion that any of the posters on this thread are boasting about it.

It's down to the individual to decide whether this is something that affects their conscience, but personally, I think downloading of programs etc has now become analogous with making copies of albums onto tape that was such a mainstay of the 70s and 80s.

Let he who is without sin......

Mr Incredible · 13-07-2008, 8:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pringtef

Let he who is without sin......

Don't marginalise the non-believing members!!! "Sin" is a religious dogma and has nothing to do with values other than to put other people down. And what a way to instil values and respect...... "..... cast the first stone". Yeah, right.

SeanT · 13-07-2008, 8:43 AM

I downloaded every episode of friends from the US. Didn't stop my wife lining their coffers when she saw all the box sets on offer. Everybody wins (even the blank CD companies at the time, as HDD space wasn't that cheap!)

Sonic67 · 13-07-2008, 8:53 AM

I downloaded the first series of Dexter from the US, for the second series I couldn't be bothered and I'm now watching it on FX.

Mr Incredible · 13-07-2008, 9:00 AM

I missed the entire series of both The West Wing and The Sopranos when they were aired on C4. I don't feel bad about being able to catch up on them now.

EDIT:

I've just looked at the cumulative download on my newsreader.......

737GB

Singh400 · 13-07-2008, 9:51 AM

Yup, and piracy increased the fanbase. Most of the world had seen Heroes Season 1, before the cast went on tour to promote the show in each country. So what you have as a result of piracy is a much bigger fanbase, and lots of people buying the DVD boxsets when they are released.

wormvortex · 13-07-2008, 10:51 AM

I don't see the problem with people downloading shows such as Heroes anyway. Everyone pays for a TV licence and everyone can in theory watch it when it does air. So it's not technical stealing or copyright.

Programmes like Lost would be different though as they are shown on Sky.

pringtef · 13-07-2008, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Incredible

Don't marginalise the non-believing members!!! "Sin" is a religious dogma and has nothing to do with values other than to put other people down. And what a way to instil values and respect...... "..... cast the first stone". Yeah, right.

I agree with you 100%!

Think you missed my point, twas but an analogy, no Sunday service. My comment being that it's down to the individual to decide, not for others to say what they are doing is right or wrong.

P.S. 1648.56GB and counting.......

Mr Incredible · 13-07-2008, 11:48 AM

I thought we were on the same wavelength, I can't help myself when I see religious beliefs dictating how others (non believers) shall behave!! Not that you were, but I take your point that you used it as an analogy, not as a direct criticism!

Goooner · 13-07-2008, 7:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeanT

I downloaded every episode of friends from the US. Didn't stop my wife lining their coffers when she saw all the box sets on offer. Everybody wins (even the blank CD companies at the time, as HDD space wasn't that cheap!)

Tell me about it! Despite downloading them all, I still bought the original VHS releases, then the R2 DVDs and then the R1 DVDs, don't think Warner Bros lost out too much there do you?

I download a lot of TV shows, mainly so I can watch them when I want to, not on the whim of the TV stations over here, who may or may not decide to show them over here anyway, and if they do may decide to stop showing them mid-series, due to not getting the ratings they wanted.

I pay a TV licence, a full Sky subscription (inc HD) and a monthly subscription to Lovefilm (not to mention owning around 1100 DVDs), so someone somewhere is getting plenty of money out of me for my viewing pleasure, so I fail to see what harm it does if I download a few shows, to watch them before they get shown here (if they ever do). And before someone chips in with something along the lines of downloading missies out the ads, so people are losing out on advertising revenue. I watch everything on Sky+ or TiVo and never watch ads anyway (unless it's during live sport)

As has been mentioned, if TV stations want us to watch stuff on their networks, rather than downloading, they just need to show them at a reasonable time after the US showing, Sky with Lost/24 etc... and I'll happily watch them on Sky instead.

SeanT · 13-07-2008, 9:40 PM

I wonder if anyone has ever been accused of piracy through downloading ripped programmes and used having already purchased the self same dvd as a defence...

13-07-2008, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pringtef

I think people, myself included, might take offence not in the right of you to have an opinion, which you're free to express, but in the assertion that any of the posters on this thread are boasting about it.

If an admission and an absence of guilt sounds better to you then that's fine too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pringtef

It's down to the individual to decide whether this is something that affects their conscience, but personally, I think downloading of programs etc has now become analogous with making copies of albums onto tape that was such a mainstay of the 70s and 80s.

Only now the distribution and availability of such content in the internet age is essentially instantaneous and unlimited. You also now have perfect copies no matter how many copies are made or how many generations of copies you go through.

In the end though someone still owns the right to sell and distribute that product.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pringtef

Let he who is without sin......

I have never downloaded or distributed anything that didn't belong to me or that I did not purchase.

I'm not religious but I believe Jesus, by making that statement, did not intend it to be used by those wishing to continue living in sin or to absolve themselves of any wrongdoing.

13-07-2008, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pringtef

I agree with you 100%!

Think you missed my point, twas but an analogy, no Sunday service. My comment being that it's down to the individual to decide, not for others to say what they are doing is right or wrong.

P.S. 1648.56GB and counting.......

That's not the world we live in. It's certainly not the world I wish to live in.

You may disagree with my opinion it is "for others" to decide "what they are doing is right or wrong" for the simple fact that we do not live in anarchy.

SeanT · 14-07-2008, 6:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tunococ

You also now have perfect copies

I wouldn't call most of the utter tosh that apparently counts as piracy that is available on the filesharing systems perfect copies....

Goooner · 14-07-2008, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tunococ

In the end though someone still owns the right to sell and distribute that product.

I'd quite happily pay for the US TV shows I download, for a reasonable price (and by reasonable, I don't mean the cost of a season of individual episodes costing more than buying the DVD when released), like they can in the US. Most stuff now seems to appear on iTunes within 24 hours, I tried to go down that route once, but not living in the US it wouldn't let me, so I just downloaded it for free.

Now where's the sense in that? Something readily available for free, that some people would be willing to pay for, yet they won't let them

pringtef · 14-07-2008, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tunococ

That's not the world we live in. It's certainly not the world I wish to live in.

You may disagree with my opinion it is "for others" to decide "what they are doing is right or wrong" for the simple fact that we do not live in anarchy.

I'm not negating legal precedence. My point being that it's down to the individual to address with themselves whether they feel they are doing something wrong or not, and also accept any possible repercussions that could occur as a result of that.

That's not anarchy, that's life, practically every aspect of our lives.

13-07-2008, 2:27 AM	#8
tunococ Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Positive outcome of web 'piracy'? No offense to anyone but there was a time when people wouldn't be boasting about stealing things because at least deep down they knew they were doing something wrong.
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