GigaOM: "Big media companies have been pushing SOPA and PIPA as a way to limit piracy, by removing consumers’ ability to find pirated content. But it’s not Google’s fault people are seeking out films online and watching pirated streams or downloads — it’s the studios’ fault for not making it easier for consumers to find and pay for that content instead."
US music and movie industry companies helped to get pirate sites blocked in many countries but on their home turf, legal action is surprisingly absent. For years we have wondered why local ISPs are being left alone and we now have an answer. Former RIAA executive Neil Turkewitz says that SOPA's ghosts have been a major stumbling block.
Allowing private entities the power to censor the internet is never a good idea. If pirates can get blocked, so can unpopular bloggers and political groups. There are good reasons why SOPA failed, and if that failure is still bearing fruit, I applaud it.
Warnings from the EFF this week that Hollywood is making renewed efforts to obtain SOPA-like powers over Internet companies has touched a nerve, with filmmakers and anti-piracy activists attacking from all angles. The EFF should stop talking about the past, its critics say, and admit that the Internet won't get broken by Hollywood.
TorrentFreak has the exceptionally troubling story of a federal district court in Oregon issuing an incredibly broad and questionable order, effectively wiping a bunch of websites out, without ever letting the websites in question know that they were being "tried" in court. The request came from ABS-CBN, a giant Filipino entertainment company arguing infringement, of course. But the argument against these sites is somewhat questionable already, made worse by the demand that the whole thing be done under seal (without alerting the site operators). Then Judge Anna Brown granted the temporary restraining order, basically deleting these sites from the internet, without even a sniff of an adversarial hearing.
"it’s the studios’ fault for not making it easier for consumers to find and pay for that content instead.""
Sure, this happens - for example my favorite show possibly ever, Gavin and Stacey, is a BBC production. Never aired in its entirety in the U.S., and you can't buy it on DVD or BluRay for NA players. So...
"But the important point here is that the studios are leaving money on the table by not giving viewers access to the movies that want to see and are willing to pay for."
Definitely, and the problem here seems to be greed - every studio/etc. wants their own system, their own Netflix, b/c they want a bigger slice of the pie. This is a striking parallel to the early iTunes days - and like that standoff, I expect studios will ultimately fold.
Additionally, cable providers are contributing, too. TWC can't manage to reliably broadcast HD channels and shows - so what happens when they botch an episode of a show I've ostensibly already paid to watch?
It is impossible for legit entertainment companies to compete in terms of convenience with illegal sites like dead megaupload.
Remember the writers strike? That was over online royalties paid out by the studios. Specifically streaming. Megavideo stole the vids, so they don't have to pay royalties.
Also, no commercials DURING the video, since mega stole their vids for free. (well besides the banner ads that made them millions).
Legit companies have to play by the rules regarding licensing, royalties, payments, and regions. It's not the studio's fault, except for their honesty.
The biggest problem is your cable/satellit provider, for not allowing the customer to pick there channels individually instead of packages . I dont want to have 3 out of 10 channels in the package that I picked to be french , I want to pick what I want to watch . so for not providing that to the consumer they flock to the internet to watch what they want when they want .
The current system just isn't working. Hollywood and TV don't want to let go of their antiquated marketing and deployment schemes. The world has changed to be more connected and they just don't get it. I don't want to have to wait 6 months to watch the latest episode of Sherlock. Until they understand these things, people will keep pirating.