Listen to my words

How internet affects media

Thursday, May 26, 2005

This article: Piracy is Good? by Mark Pesce, contains some interesting thoughts about piracy, mainly concerning TV-shows. I don't agree to everything he says, but he has a very active brain (I suspect it having time-traveling properties.)
Some of the ways movies, TV-shows, music and computer games are distributed today won't work "The day after tomorrow". Because then the world will be covered in ice, while the dangers of global warming is forced upon us by guys resembling Dennis Quaid. No, wait, I got sidetracked.
A lot of people have realized that you cannot really stop piracy, and some haven't. Trying to shut down people for downloading movies won't work. And shutting down torrent-sites and DirectConnect hubs is only a temporary solution.

I understand how the artists and the companies feel, and I wouldn't want to be in their shoes, partially because being artistic and a business man at the same time seems terribly confusing.
The way they're trying to legislate away the problem won't work either, because then you are not listening to both sides. People want to download their movies and their music and their games, and since there is currently no technical way to stop people from doing it, they will continue doing what they consider to be their right.
Force persuading people to stop downloading might work, but it would have to be handled delicately, preferebly through a secret cult. I will investigate the possibilities for this as soon as I find my magickal meeting stick.

Pesce's idea about inserting intrusive commercials in TV-shows and then letting people download them for free on the internet is viable. The ads mustn't be too big or too annoying or it won't work, just a small logo or a scrolling line of text, popping up now and then. Or, come to think of it, subliminal messages. If you used subliminal ads, the viewers won't complain that it destroys the viewing experience. Hmm. They might be confused as to why they get the urge to eat a happy-meal after watching a fitness show though. Anyway.

Computer games could also more funding from selling ads then they do today, but it's just a matter of time before we get "*sigh* After killing all those ugly, evil looking, Lord of the Rings-wannabe trolls, I drink some of this magic CocaCola-potion to regain my health."

Pesce also predicts this will seriously reduce broadcast TV and DVD sales. I don't think that's the case. The internet will probably work more as an alternative to the regular distribution channels. No, it already is an alternative. As I'm sure you know, you can find anything on the internet. The companies just need to embrace it.

Not entirely related: World of Ends popped to mind when I was writing this article. It's an interesting read, and I find it somehow... poetical.

posted by Richard @ 21:36