Still trying to destroy Western Civilisation

[dalekboy]

I got an infringement notice for downloading Stargate: Atlantis! MGM doesn't want people downloading their stuff, which when Channel 7 doesn't want to show it, is basically the equivalent of MGM not wanting people to watch their stuff.

Here is my reply to them

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Hey folks, sorry for any trouble I have caused. The Stargate Atlantis files have been deleted.

That said, I would appreciate it if MGM could bring pressure on the TV networks that own the rights to their product to give it, and the people who wish to view it, some respect. Channel 7 in Australia is not only well behind on the series, but when they do show it, they will tend to change timeslots and days with no notice, and will regularly take it off the air for weeks at a time.

As you will understand, people become frustrated with this treatment, and so turn to downloading. Other series I watch are shown on different channels, and they treat their viewers with more respect. Episodes are shown weekly, seldom pre-empted, and most of the other channels are only a month or two behind the US at most.

Currently Channel 7 Australia hasn't even begun showing season four of Stargate Atlantis, a series which is halfway through it's fifth season. When this is happening, of course people will download. If the series is shown in a timely fashion, there is no need to download at all.

As a fan and collector with well over 1,000 commercially bought and legitimate DVDs, if I like a film or TV show, I buy it. I won't buy a series I haven't seen. And thanks to Channel 7, and this action (which is fair enough, I've no complaints about your handling of this, nor MGM wishing to protect their rights), I will now no longer be seeing Stargate Atlantis, and so will be unlikely to purchase season five when it becomes available - I have enough shows competing for my money that I won't buy something I haven't seen in full.

I doubt that I am alone in this. So, if MGM would like to cut down on illegal downloads, and potentially sell more DVDs in Australia, they are way more likely to get results by pressuring Channel 7 than stopping individuals.

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I *may* be wrong about season four having not been shown, but I certainly haven't found anything to contradict that.

While I have a limited DVD budget, I have a list of shows I will be buying. Enterprise Season 4, Supernatural, Battlestar Galactica (I'm waiting for the show to finish so I can buy the box set), Middleman, The Sarah Jane Adventures, The Mighty Boosh - all of which I have seen through downloading, all of which I will be buying legitimate copies of because I downloaded them, or were given downloaded copies of them.

Preventing me from downloading these shows would mean that I would not be likely to want to buy them. Which would work out fine really, because I have so many, many other shows and films that I want to buy.

So who really loses out? Not the people who would do illegal copies anyway, and does anyone think this would stop them? I may not get to see a show that I would like, but I have lots of good shows to watch already, so no loss there.

All it really means is the network ends up with no chance of getting my cash.

Glad they don't need it.

Comments

[buoy-wonder.livejournal.com]

or http://phoenixlabs.org/pg2/

Which is quite good.