RSS
TV Network 'Leaks' Its Own Shows On BitTorrent
from the catch-up-television dept
To be honest, I've never quite understood why TV networks and TV producers were so freaked out about online file sharing. After all, they already made their content free to view via television -- and adding more ways to see that content should only increase the value of the shows. That's especially true for shows that people want to stay up on and not miss. The more ways people can see it, the better, because it keeps them engaged and coming back for more. And, after some initial false starts, we are seeing some of that with things like Hulu. But, unfortunately, Hulu is still quite closed off and limiting (regional limitations, streaming -- rather than downloads, and some content disappears).
Others, however, seem to be grasping the value of making the content more widely available. A reader using the name PCVirus, sends in the news that down in Australia the TV network Nine Network has been leaking full, high quality downloads of the show Underbelly 2 via BitTorrent, right after the show airs. The network folks note that they see it as "catch-up television"; making sure that fans don't miss an episode. Not only that, but they encourage fans to share the show via whatever file sharing system they like. The only questionable thing, though, is the claim that the content will "stop working once the season finishes airing." Not quite sure how that works, but even that seems pretty lame. They're doing that because they're afraid it might cut into DVD sales, but as we've seen over and over again, if you give people a reason to actually buy the physical product, plenty of people will. So, make the DVDs include tons of extras -- and maybe some other types of benefits (opportunity to appear on the show?) and fans will buy.
25 Comments | Leave a Comment..
- Network TV Execs Discover What Pirates Always Knew: Making Stuff Available Online Is Good Marketing
- Study Confirms: News Networks Owned By SOPA Supporters... Are Ignoring SOPA/PIPA
- Dear Pro Sports Leagues: Can I Watch The Game Please?
- Hulu's Owners Unable To Find Idiots Willing To Overpay To Take Hulu Off Their Hands Before They Kill It
- Australian High Court Says Electronic TV Guide Isn't Copyright Infringement
Reader Comments (rss)
(Flattened / Threaded)
Dylan was right...
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Why "Leaking"?
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Why "Leaking"?
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Why "Leaking"?
I assume that was because another person made an x-rated version of one of the shows and the TV station denies any knowledge so it is unclear who actually uploaded the video to the torrent site ? One of those, probably was them but might have been a viewer kinda things. In Mike's headline, you can see he used quotes to show his skepticism too.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Underbelly: the original
Because of this failure to air the series in Melbourne and the HUGE demand from Melbournians to see the programme, it was downloaded in huge numbers from P2P sites.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Commercials?
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Commercials?
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Why "Leaking"?
In other words....Mike is an idiot.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Why "Leaking"?
Mike quoted from an article. He put quotes around the word "leaks" to inform readers of that. But apparently you're too much of an idiot to figure that out.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Commercials?
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
why not?
Make them higher quality (720p or more) than what I normally get and I'd definitely partake.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Why "Leaking"?
Actually, since the article is cited as using the same language, his reference is correct. Also, in all technicality, it is a "leak" because it was not distributed through official means, and more likely than not, not officially recognized as an official medium of delivery and/or product release. It is just as when a musician "leaks" their music by going through unofficial channels or by not directly acknowledging the action.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Why "Leaking"?
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: why not?
They have a huge online community: Webisodes, Dwight's blog "Shrute Space," and Dunder Mifflin Infinity. They could use that network to point members to the newest torrents (CwF.) Heck, they could even put it out while the show is playing.
They could put ten-second ads between every scene, or use custom ads with remixed content; even if I were watching on my hacked dTivo, I probably wouldn't bother to skip.
They could make a few different versions (read: targeted advertising) based on users' profiles without diluting the torrent pool too much.
They could put bonus material in there too, like all the deleted scenes they put on the web. Or they could make a few different versions of the show, targeting the content as well as the ads. Alternatively, they could solicit feedback from their users to see which version most people thought was funnier, and learn from that. And if the content was customized in that way, water cooler conversation would drive more traffic to their site the next day.
Sure, some will clip out the ads and repost, but the network is in a position to provide the customer with the easiest solution, in which the torrent file comes to your inbox at a time when no other version is available. No amount of search filtering can beat that. I would never go looking for a torrent of a show that was delivered to me.
Wow! I should be in charge. MY NETWORK, PLEASE!
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
I hope they change positions.
So I thought well I'll go download and watch the first 5 or so episodes that I missed and catch up. Because I hate watching a show from the middle, other then a sitcom. So I went on the NBC site and look for the episodes, but they didn't have the first 5 episodes. They start at Episode 5 or 6 only, and then only have snippets of the previous ones.
So I went on bit torrent sites, only to find no one shared out the first episode. Then I thought I'd try Hulu and they didn't have the first 4 episodes.
So what the hell? Since I can't watch the show, I deleted the DVR shows and canceled the recordings. If I can't catch up then I'll never watch it. If they would have made the content freely available after it aired, I would have watched all the episodes in question and then would have caught up on the DVR shows, and then started watching them live.
So yes they are shooting themselves in the foot, because now I'm done with the desire or interest to ever see the show.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: I hope they change positions.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
OH NO!
I totally agree. Take NBC's "The Office" for example.
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: OH NO!
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
This has been going on for years
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Why "Leaking"?
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Re: Why "Leaking"?
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Reruns
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Re: Re: Why "Leaking"?
[ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]
Add Your Comment