Cats and dogs living together! :P

[graculus]

"Has the Internet allowed the power balance between consumer and producer to shift too far?"

That's one of the questions being asked by UK research company Envisional in their study on 'television piracy'. What's that? Downloading episodes off teh Interweb, that's what, as reported here and here, among other places.

The tone of stifled outrage amuses me a little, I have to say.

Meanwhile, heaven forbid that television producers or channels should actually cater to their audience, like re-running earlier episodes of a series for those of us who perennially miss the boat, or releasing stuff on dvd for a reasonable price in a timely manner. Because that would be Bad and Wrong and what are we thinking to even ask them that?

Pffft. No sympathy here, guys.

Comments

[innocent-lex.livejournal.com]

Adding to the bad wrongness of the whole thing. Those of us who have recording devices usually fast forward through the adverts, or even, shock horror, cut them out! How ev0L of us! We need to be retrained to be good little viewers who sit like stuperous monkeys watching every second of every little bit of brain-numbing marketing these folks want to throw at us.

Why is television still a push system and not a pull system? With all the tech out there, how can they have got away with that for so long?

[graculus.livejournal.com]

I think they're also missing the boat in the fact that many people are only bothering to download stuff they *want* to watch - in my case, well-written and interesting shows that I have no idea of when they might turn up over here (House, Lost, season 2 of Carnivale).

It seems ludicrous that the people making tv shows are complaining that people are wanting to watch what they make - tv companies and ad agencies sure, though they should have realised that people are always going to try and use technology to avoid being spoonfed ads because ads are an annoyance.

[innocent-lex.livejournal.com]

If I'm watching a programme in real time, I mute the telly when the ads come on so I can read something in peace for the five minutes it takes most cable channels to actually get back to the programme itself. The ads are always louder than the actual programme, too, so I have no desire to be deafened.

And yeah, these people mystify me with their stupidity. Instead of saying, lookee, our consumers are leading us in a direction that's a great idea and that we could make money from, they say, you big meanies!

Grow a brain, telly people. Please?

[graculus.livejournal.com]

It's rare for me to watch something as it airs, because usually I'm not in the mood if I've been at work all day, so fast forwarding through the ad break is a way of life for me.

[mer1973.livejournal.com]

Over hear some cable channels are doing something called "On Demand." Basically, you can watch the programs whenever you want after the original airings in all time zones are finished. So, if you miss the 9 pm East Coast airing of 'Carnivale' you can watch it 'On Demand' after the 9 pm West Coast airing. Regular tv channels won't allow cable companies to put their programs in the listings, but most original HBO & Showtime programming is available.

Personally, within it's limitations, I think it's great.

[graculus.livejournal.com]

Do you have to pay extra for that or is it part of the same package?

[mer1973.livejournal.com]

Not sure, I think it might be included in the digital cable package, but I'll ask tomorrow, when I go watch all the Carnivale eps I've missed.

Speaking of Carnivale, I have to say, that's one DVD package I refused to buy. 99 US for 12 eps and minimal extras? Forget it. I can watch it cheaper from Netflix.

[graculus.livejournal.com]

$99? I thought £37 was bad enough, when it comes out here next month - not sure whether there are more extras on the R2 boxset, though there seem to be commentaries and a 'making of' thing.

Still, I live in hope that if I watch the episodes enough I might some day figure out what the hell it all means... ;)

[mer1973.livejournal.com]

There is no figuring out Carnivale, if only because they'll cancel it before that.

If there are any more extras then two commentaries and a 'making of' of thing, please let me know, because I want to bitch to HBO. I thought $99 was a total ripoff.

[cedara]

No sympathy here, guys.

None from me either. And frankly, I don't see torrents any way differently than a friend giving you a copy off a taped episode. They're just realizing they missed the boat and now call us gangsters.

[graculus.livejournal.com]

It's Wrong and Bad because they're not making money off it. Of course, neither really is anyone else, but that's neither here nor there to them...

Alas, people might not buy their hideously-overpriced dvds when they eventually get released, particularly in the US where many don't seem to have any extras. Pfffft. So get creative, guys!

[nausica2.livejournal.com]

None from me either.

If you live in a country where prime TV is full of local shows (some good, some bad) and you need satellite to get the good stuff (and not always on time), Bit Torrent is your friend.

Not to mention everything is dubbed.

So no, no sympathy from me.

[graculus.livejournal.com]

If you're not giving them money, they're not interested in you, hon. After all, that is the only reason their audience exists. ;)

[temaris.livejournal.com]

Because I should simply Not Watch something if I think I might like it but can't make the commitment to turn up and park my arse in front of the stupid-machine at the Appointed Time.

My mistake.

*puts back all the shows that she's watched this way*

[graculus.livejournal.com]

Or give them lots of money for dvds for a show you might not like, because life's a gamble that way! :P