Illegal film downloading triples

[VCDHunter]

Illegal film downloading triples

The Sopranos was among TV series and films illegally downloaded
The number of internet users who illegally download films and TV series has tripled over the past year.
An estimated 1.67 million people download illegal film or TV files, compared to 570,000 last year, the British Video Association (BVA) found.

The loss to the British video industry was calculated to be £45m in DVD sales alone during 2003.

BVA director general Lavinia Carey said the potential threat to the industry was "clearly enormous".

The findings were based on a survey of 16,000 people aged between 12 and 74.

Quality

Movies and TV series illegally downloaded last year included Kill Bill: Volume 1, The Sopranos and BBC's The Office.

TNS, which conducted the survey, said: "With downloading growing at such an enormous rate the industry cannot afford to be complacent."

But it added: "There are several factors that reduce the impact on the retail market - quality issues being the major one."

This referred to the fact that many considered illegally downloaded films to be of poor quality when compared to legal DVDs or television broadcasts.

Many also felt it took too long for films to download via the internet, but the growth in use of broadband - which offers faster internet connections - is changing that.

The average film or TV downloader was identified as under 35 years old and male.

He is most likely to live in the south of England, where broadband is more widely available, and to download an average of 30 films or TV episodes per year.

Ms Carey said: "The film, TV and video industries are working closely to pre-empt the threat from online piracy.

"As long as we can continue to make our traditional product attractive and future online offers affordable and easy, we hope to avoid the worst of the damage."

The BVA also reported a 61% increase in DVD sales in 2003, the format now representing 70% of the total video market.

Total sales across the video industry rose from £2.05bn in 2002 to £2.42bn last year.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/3692999.stm

[glockjs]

where the hell do they get these stats? out their ass? yes i think so.. a small group of 10 people in a small room will tell all right? NO!

[VCDHunter]

where the hell do they get these stats? out their ass? yes i think so.. a small group of 10 people in a small room will tell all right? NO!

The findings were based on a survey of 16,000 people aged between 12 and 74.

So the true title of the article should read something along the lines of

"Poll Taken At Face Value Indicates Illegal Film Downloading On Increase, Maybe."

Doesn't realy have the same ring as "Illegal Film Downloading Triples"

I can't wait for the "If You Download Movies You Support Terrorism." headline.

[glockjs]

I can't wait for the "If You Download Movies You Support Terrorism." headline.

patriot act right? bull!

so they got 1 12 yr old and 1 74 yr old and called it between.

i still don't believe everything i read. only what i can hear, see, and touch.

[mecg]

"An estimated 1.67 million people download illegal film or TV files, compared to 570,000 last year, the British Video Association (BVA) found. "

The loss to the British video industry was calculated to be £45m in DVD sales alone during 2003.

45,000,000 / 1,670,000 = £26.94
According to http://money.cnn.com/markets/currencies/

26.94 British Pound = 48.22 US Dollar

They get this much money per movie overseas???
Hell, I'll buy them here and ship them to you for half that!!!

[gitreel]

I am willing to bet those figures they came up were 100 percent fabricated. Better to create the illusion of losing money, that way people will believe them even if every word is a lie.

[BobK]

> "As long as we can continue to make our traditional product attractive and future online offers affordable and easy...

Hey- that's a good idea. When are they going to try it?

[leebo]

Here in the States they show one of several "anti-piracy" commercials at the theater before a movie.

They attempt to make you feel guilty by saying that the money lost to pirates costs film workers some income. The "film workers" shown in these commercials are carpenters, electricians, etc. Tom Cruse and Steven Spielberg are never shown.

Call me crazy, but I was under the impression that the carpenters and electricians were already paid by the time the movie comes out, so how are they losing money? Since when does a carpenter get a percentage?

I have yet to hear anyone in the audience make any smart-ass remark or comment during the showing of these ad's, causing me to wonder if the public is actually buying this crap.

[jam007]

Sad bunch of people who think it's ok to STILL download music and movies.

>>JAM<<

[leebo]

Sniff.

[DivXExpert]

No, its not okay. Its stealing. And you shouldn't download copyrighted material that you don't have permission to use. But the big companies should be running the way they are either. But that still doesn't make it right to steal.

[indolikaa]

"If you download movies, you support terrorism."

Nah, that's just doesn't sound right. Hmmm...

"If you download movies, you support the practice of raping innocent vinyl goats."

That's better. Well, it makes about as much sense as the BBC article I just read...

[gitreel]

No, its not okay. Its stealing. And you shouldn't download copyrighted material that you don't have permission to use. But the big companies should be running the way they are either. But that still doesn't make it right to steal.

it is not stealing if the item in question never left your position. I suggest you change your outlook. p2p has been built into the earliest operating systems. downloading is not stealing. I suggest you visit this link.

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.03/lessig.html

[flaninacupboard]

The loss to the British video industry was calculated to be £45m in DVD sales alone during 2003.

45,000,000 / 1,670,000 = £26.94
According to http://money.cnn.com/markets/currencies/

26.94 British Pound = 48.22 US Dollar

They get this much money per movie overseas???
Hell, I'll buy them here and ship them to you for half that!!!

no, that's annual loss per downloader. that would cover two discs really.

[bugster]

The loss to the British video industry was calculated to be £45m in DVD sales alone during 2003.

45,000,000 / 1,670,000 = £26.94
According to http://money.cnn.com/markets/currencies/

26.94 British Pound = 48.22 US Dollar

They get this much money per movie overseas???
Hell, I'll buy them here and ship them to you for half that!!!

no, that's annual loss per downloader. that would cover two discs really.

Thta is of course assuming each person would have spent that much more than they did on DVD's and VHS video if they had not been able to download them. May be true in some cases but I doubt the movie industry would really make that much more money if downloading was not possible.

Same goes for music downloads too.

And software.

I am not condoning illegal activity here, just placing a big question mark over the figures and their interpretation.

[Roderz]

30 films or TV episodes per year

Yeah right

>

[DivXExpert]

30 tv episodes a year. Thats may not be to false. Think, if someone has a show that they watch every week, but they also work that night. Instead of taping it, the just donwload it. And then the also download the various shows that they miss every now and then. And maybe a movie that they couldn't find at the rental store, but don't really want to buy. Hey that could add up to 30.

[leebo]

if someone has a show that they watch every week, but they also work that night. Instead of taping it, the just donwload it.

Oh!!! I see. Taping OK. Downloading = robbing the local liquor store. Now I get it.

[flaninacupboard]

i download way more than 30 a year! certain things are freely available in america before they are broadcast in england, so i get where i can.

i think a bigger loss in revenue from was finding a decent rental service. why buy when i can use online rental?

[DivXExpert]

if someone has a show that they watch every week, but they also work that night. Instead of taping it, the just donwload it.

Oh!!! I see. Taping OK. Downloading = robbing the local liquor store. Now I get it.

I didn't say it was right. Its just the way it is right now. I don't really see how it is different than taping a show. But big buisness thinks different than I do. Just tape them, because that is legal.

[flaninacupboard]

i don't have a video player.

[offline]

I can't wait for the "If You Download Movies You Support Terrorism." headline.

In Australia, the video industry has a clip that suggests that
video piracy is solely the work of satanic forces and organised crime
lords.

Looks like the geek with the coke glasses next door is going to hell

[spiderman2k1]

People download these show are peolpe that do not have HBO or would never pay for it. I pay for HBO to watch the Sopranos. Other people that are doing are kid's that there parents wont pay for HBO and they want to see it.

I also know people that download show's that they do pay for. People that do not program there VCR. Watch TV on a PC suck's people just do if that the only way they can get it.

[Nilfennasion]

My TV viewing fell from something like forty hours a week to about three hours a week when I got my first DVD player. Perhaps instead of following the MPAA example of crying "waaaaah piracy!", the station managers should take a good hard look at themselves and question why the educated dollar is turning away from junk like MoronsOnADesertIslandThreeBillion.

[d_unbeliever]

30 per year <-------- hmmm veryyyyyy few!

[Moloko_Plus]

Here in the States they show one of several "anti-piracy" commercials at the theater before a movie.

They attempt to make you feel guilty by saying that the money lost to pirates costs film workers some income. The "film workers" shown in these commercials are carpenters, electricians, etc. Tom Cruse and Steven Spielberg are never shown.

Call me crazy, but I was under the impression that the carpenters and electricians were already paid by the time the movie comes out, so how are they losing money? Since when does a carpenter get a percentage?

I have yet to hear anyone in the audience make any smart-ass remark or comment during the showing of these ad's, causing me to wonder if the public is actually buying this crap.

What those ads fail to mention is that a very significant number of movies are Not even produced in the USA, so it does nothing for american carpenters and the electricians. Sorry.

[rgs_uk]

From what I heard, the BBC, which made The Office, isn't too worried about file downloading. In fact they seem to be in favour of it as another means of distributing programmes which licence payers have paid for. They are launching a free download service soon.

Just because people download something, does not mean they would buy a £18 DVD of it.

I don't buy prerecorded tapes or DVDs. I have been ripped off too often. The best ever was the 'digitally remastered' VHS of On The Town a few years ago. The audio wasn't even in sync in one scene. Besides, they often show prints that are better, or just as good, on TV.

I have a couple of thousand VHS tapes recorded from broadcast TV since 1980 and about 30 prerecorded VHS. So I'd like to know how me downloading Sex and the City, which has already been shown on TV here, and which I am recording as they repeat it anyway, represents any loss to the film/tv industry

Half the films/tv shows I am interested in aren't even available to buy if I wanted to. Many things are only in the shops for a few months and then disappear for years. And nor are they available for download -- legally or illegally. If companies made some of the harder to find, less popular 'niche' stuff available to download, then they might make some money from me.

Anyone one remember the 'home taping is killing live music' campaign 25 years ago?

[gitreel]

It is the same as the vcr being compared to the Boston Strangler.

[aero]

No, its not okay. Its stealing. And you shouldn't download copyrighted material that you don't have permission to use. But the big companies should be running the way they are either. But that still doesn't make it right to steal.

it is not stealing if the item in question never left your position. I suggest you change your outlook. p2p has been built into the earliest operating systems. downloading is not stealing. I suggest you visit this link.

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.03/lessig.html

Lol. Lessing not some unbiased observer, he is the strongest advocate of freely coppyingother peoples work.

Just so you kow, no serious person thinks downloading a pirate copy of the sopranos isn;t illegal. If you think so you are in the black helicopter crowd that thinks income taxes are illegal.

The things at issue are the politics, how draconian systems can get and where the tipping point is between having the majority of thepoulation observe the rules and or see them as reasonable.

Most people understand that dowloading a pirate copy is illegal and is stealing. Most people (myself included) on the other hand don't see why backing a dvd they purchased should be problematic.

Lastly your statement "downloading is not stealing," is really too general a statement to mean anything. It is like saying 'eating isn't stealing." Yeah, but eating at a resteruant and not paying is.

[aero]

if someone has a show that they watch every week, but they also work that night. Instead of taping it, the just donwload it.

Oh!!! I see. Taping OK. Downloading = robbing the local liquor store. Now I get it.

I didn't say it was right. Its just the way it is right now. I don't really see how it is different than taping a show. But big buisness thinks different than I do. Just tape them, because that is legal.

There is a primary and obvious difference. We all know it. If you receive a show by broadcast the producer/owner of the content is being paid by the broadcaster who is paid by the advertiser. If you tape a show from subscription cable or satelite at least you already paid a fee to the broadcaster who paid the creator/owner.

If you download the sopranos from the net you didn't pay the creator or owner directly or indirectly.