Another Example Of The Entertainment Industry Missing The Boat Online

Culture

from the smack-them-over-the-head dept

While BigChampagne has learned the value of using file sharing data to help the entertainment industry determine what’s popular, BayTSP still insist that their similar technology is only useful for figuring who to sue. There’s some evidence they might want to think twice about that. The latest report from BayTSP looking at what movies are being downloaded shows that an obscure Hong Kong movie named Shaolin Soccer is in the top ten. The movie, which was released a few years ago in Hong Kong, but keeps having its US release date delayed, is very popular online. Clearly, this sort of information is valuable to Miramax, who is supposed to be distributing it in the US. However, BayTSP claims that there are no legitimate reasons for using their file sharing data that way, and Miramax says they’re working with their legal department to figure out how to sue these fans who are showing how much they want to see this film. If Miramax thinks that because the film is online, all of these fans won’t go see it in the theater, they need to take some time to figure out what business they’re in again. Going to the movies is still an experience – and the fans downloading the movie are the same folks still clamoring for Miramax to release the film domestically. Not realizing that this is incredibly useful market research (and, in fact, trying to legally threaten those who are giving it to them) is so backwards it’s almost comical. Meanwhile, BayTSP should think about their own business plans. If they really believe that suing file sharers is the best thing, then aren’t they putting themselves out of business? By embracing file sharing as market research (and convincing the industry of the same thing) they’re making sure that the more successful they are, the bigger their market is. If they focus on helping the entertainment industry sue everyone, then the more successful they are, the smaller their market gets. Seems like a pretty easy choice.