By John Borland, 13 May 2005 08:35
NEWS Continuing its war on internet file-swapping sites, the Motion Picture Association of America has announced it has filed lawsuits against a half-dozen hubs for TV show trading.
The trade association said piracy of TV programming is growing quickly online, and that shows are as important to protect as big-budget films. This is the first legal action from the group that has focused most heavily on TV content.
CEO of MPAA, Dan Glickman, said in a statement: "Every television series depends on other markets [such as] syndication and international sales to earn back the enormous investment required to produce the comedies and dramas we all enjoy. Those markets are substantially hurt when that content is stolen."
The latest round of suits retains a focus on BitTorrent technology, which has been widely used online to distribute movies and films.
The suits are focused on the sites that serve as traffic directors for BitTorrent swaps, rather than on individual computer users uploading and downloading content. The MPAA has also sued individuals but has not said how many people have been targeted.
The six sites sued include Bragginrights, Btefnet, CDDVDHeaven, Scifi-Classics, ShunTV and Zonatracker.
John Borland writes for CNET News.com
Comments
There are 8 comments. Join the discussion
1. Jonathan
I have always been a good story teller. So is that next? I tell my kid a story and by doing so I am infringing on copy rights?
2. anonymous
This seems to be the whole Napster debacle all over again. The MPAA (who appear to think they have global jurisdiction) essentially have been caught with their pants down because they hadn't anticipated the popularity and are now desperately trying to play "catch up".
Why can't the TV networks offer downloads of their shows anyway?
3. Karen Challinor
"Why can't the TV networks offer downloads of their shows anyway?"
Because they miss out on advertising revenue.
4. anonymous
Geez, do they really think the BBC or whoever will fail to pick up a series because some fanboys have already downloaded and viewed it? I think not.
I know people who used to get their mates in the states to send them VHS copies of Start Trek shows 'cos they couldn't wait for them to air over here. They still watched them when they eventually appeared, and bought the retail videos...and then replaced them with DVDs. There is no way this is costing the shows money.
Anyway, if it's supposed to be a global market then sodding well treat it like one and make the product available globally. No-ones going to spend hours downloading a show if it's on their tv!
5. anonymous
If its illegal to share tv programs why didnt the stop the production of black videos back in the 80's, tv companies have never sought out to my knowledge the millions of people who have records a film or tv show in the past,why make it different now.
You will probably find that some if not most of those downloading shows do it because they want to see the shows over and over yet the show isnt out on DVD or VHS.
Might also be the case that they are at work at the time of the show being aired as some people do work in an evening and at night.
6. Mark SPLINTER
i made a citizen's arrest yesterday when i caught someone doing the dead parrot sketch in a pub, thereby depriving the BBC of revenue. I am very proud to defend the rights of rights holders wherever I go. Without people like me there would be no TV.
7. Dr Christian Troy
If there was anything worth watching on UK TV, we would all be sat in front of the TV instead of clicking like loonies on the latest 24, Nip/Tuck etc etc...
8. Dave
I would happily pay to download TV shows that I actually want to watch. Maybe a monthly subscription to '24' or 'CSI' for example. I could pay for this with some of the money I would save each month from getting rid of my Sky subscription.