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Warner Bros recently inked a deal with BitTorrent. It's come to 'if you can't beat'em, join'em' with DVD pirates. But are downloaders really theives?
BitTorrent is a peer to peer file sharing software that allows its users to ... share files ... any kind of files, over the internet. I have several friends who partake in peer to peer downloading. One friend religiously downloads the latest episodes of BLEACH, a popular anime series currently playing in Japan, while another downloads the latest episodes of DOCTOR WHO: SERIES 2 playing on BBC One in the UK before hits Canada, while yet another is completely in love with SO NOTORIOUS on VH1 and wonders when it will broadcast in his neck of the woods. Now, depending on where you are in the world, your internet service provider may or may not be monitoring your bandwidth usage. In Canada, the laws regarding this behaviour are not regulated, but the finger wagging is there. I certainly don't condone stealing, and in the same breath I don't see my friends as theives. Why? Because they've ended up buying more DVDs as a direct result of downloading. When BATTLESTAR GALACTICA first aired on SKYONE in the UK before it started airing on the Sci-Fi in the States and Space in Canada, it became one of THE MOST downloaded shows. This gave cause to worry for the US broadcaster and its producers. They thought that people who download would not have watched as it broadcasted in their territory. What happened? BATTLESTAR GALACTICA became Sci-Fi Channel's most watched program at an average of 2.1 million viewers. Furthermore, when the US debuted its second season before broadcasting in Canada and the UK, the ratings held at an average of 2.1 million viewers. On Amazon.ca (at the time of writing this blog - and they update hourly) the Season One DVD box set is the 20th best selling item, where Season 2.0 box set is the 3rd best selling item beaten only by FINAL FANTASY VIII: ADVENT CHILDREN and LORD OF THE RINGS Trilogy DVD boxed sets. Interestingly enough, one of the reviewers for FINAL FANTASY VIII: ADVENT CHILDREN from Ontario mentions he's already seen the Japan version and just HAD to see the English version with all special features released on the 2-disc Special Edition DVD. - Hmmmm ... Are DVD purchases really on a decline as a direct result of downloading? If so, how does the most highly downloaded show seem to be popular on DVD? My conclusion ... tomorrow. For more DVD reviews and information about other archived entertainment, visit DvdReviews.suite101.com
The copyright of the article Ethics: Downloading and DVDs in Drama DVD Reviews is owned by Christine Miguel. Permission to republish Ethics: Downloading and DVDs in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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