I don't want to go into discussing why a download does not equal a 'lost sale', as this has been covered on many other respectable sites such as TechDirt and Ars Technica.
That's just the counter to this side of the argument though.
Like I said, I don't doubt that there are some people who never intended to purchase the product in the first place, or go see the film. But you can't deny that there are many who would have done, but decided to take it without paying instead.
That's the point, people want the content, but if there are unnecessary restrictions on content or poor value for money, then why should they put up with it?
So it's ok to take it illegitimately because you don't like the price or it doesn't meet the way you want it? That's your justification is it?
Some of the shows on 4OD are actually only available if you aren't in the UK, bizarrely. I understand that there are deals made, but the Internet/Web is a global entity and market. It is wrong to then try and constrain it to locations based on outdated business models.
It's not about trying to constrain it, it's the only way this model can work.
If I make and fund a new serialised TV drama called "Super Gypsy Party", the only way I can make any money from that is to sell it to a television network, who will then be able to sell advertising space during the show.
I then agree deals with television networks in other countries, perhaps a deal in the UK to allow it to be shown on an obscure Sky channel in 2 years time.
If it was only sold to one TV company, who then broadcast it on the internet worldwide, my fictional company who created the show get's very little in the way of return and then we stop producing anymore shows, because it no longer works as a business.
What are the costs of launching it worldwide? The two main costs I can see are distributing the film itself, and then the marketing. Marketing doesn't have to be hugely expensive, especially if they make use of advertising networks available on the Internet.
It can be as much as half or even more than the actual budget of the film.
You are extremely misguided if you think you can launch a film on only the internet with very little money behind it.
You need Print, Television, Radio, Internet, Billboard ads. Promotions, star interviews etc.
Distribution is also hugely expensive, so while the likes of big popcorn movies like Transformers has the budget to launch worldwide and market it itself worldwide at the sametime, much smaller films can't. As I said before, they need to be able to earn some box office takings before they can pay the distribution and marketing costs to launch in other countries.
There's no reason why these shows couldn't have existed on a paid for service such as LoveFilm. If a channel doesn't like it, then tough, it is a competitive market and someone else will take up the offer of distributing the content.
Sorry, but you are totally wrong.
As I explained above, Television Shows are driven by Television and it's advertising revenue. While perhaps you only watch online services, you need to remember that you are not the majority, it's not the main viewing medium.
LoveFilm and similar will likely get these shows once they've run their course on television.
They shouldn't be going after major sources of piracy because it is the symptom of a bigger problem, not the cause itself. It's a waste of money, as no matter what you do to censor things you don't like on the Internet, something else will always pop up to undo the work you've just done. The money could be better spent on delivering better services and value for money so that people do not download illegally.
As I've said before, you will never remove piracy, but you can't just sit by and let it go on while it's so rife. If illegal torrents, which are downloaded by thousands get reduced then, while I don't doubt clever pirates will have somewhere else to go, you've reduced the numbers until some other method creeps up in popularity.
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