Hollywood, recording industry beg Obama to help save them from pirates
Filed under: Company News, Technology, General Electric , Microsoft, Sony, Viacom, Time Warner
Faced with the global menace of digital piracy, some of the largest entertainment companies in the world have banded together to beg the Obama administration to help their industries, which they claim are under assault by digital brigands. Among them are AT&T (T), CBS Corporation, Microsoft (MSFT), News Corp. (NWS), NBC Universal, Disney (DIS), NASCAR, the NFL and the NBA. "Hear us as we speak with one voice about the importance of creators' rights," the entertainment giants wrote in a melodramatic letter to President Obama published yesterday. "We are the essence of America. Since the founding of our country, our work has provided light in the darkness of conflict, humor in the depths of sadness, beauty in the face of ugliness, and reason in the dysfunction of division."
In its letter to the President, the Copyright Alliance, as it calls itself, claims it was speaking on behalf of its "grassroots network of creators." The group says it represents artists whose "work brings significant cultural and economic value to our society - and contributes $1.52 trillion to the nation's GDP."
But the letter goes on to say: "Yet that value is being disregarded as our rights and incentives to create are increasingly under threat," in a reference to the revenue supposedly lost due to illegal peer-to-peer file-sharing networks.
The Copyright Alliance is basically a coalition of entertainment companies, trade groups and others who advocate for a broad range of policies, including "effective civil and criminal enforcement of copyright laws domestically and internationally." Among its board members are Viacom (VIA), NBC Universal, the Motion Picture Association of America, and Time Warner (TWX), (which is the parent company of AOL, publisher of DailyFinance.)
The letter comes on the heels of the White House's announcement of Victoria Espinel as Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, or IP czar, to help strengthen U.S. efforts to stop the sale of pirated or counterfeited music, movies, software and other goods.
The new IP Czar post was created when then-President Bush signed the "Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property Act" -- or PRO-IP Act -- last October, handing a victory to Hollywood, the recording industry, and the major media companies, which had lobbied hard for its passage.
"Increasingly, creators are finding their work misappropriated, reproduced and distributed without their knowledge, consent or benefit by those who believe intellectual property should be free for the taking." says Lucinda Dugger, the Alliance's director of outreach.
The recording industry alone has shrunk from a $15 billion business to a $10 billion business in just a few years, as compact disc sales have plummeted. The rise of legal Web-based music services has not nearly recouped those losses.
So the industry needs help, which is why it is lobbying President Obama.
As of Thursday, more than 8,000 people have signed the online letter, including one "Long John Silver," a "musician/writer" hailing from "Treasure Island."
A White House spokesperson did not immediately respond to a DailyFinance request for comment.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
10-01-2009 @ 9:46PM
Rob said...
Thanks to the digitization of media and the content delivery system that is the Internet, the music and television / film industry is absolutely screwed.... especially the film industry. The film industry can not sustain the sort of loss the music industry did when all audio media was "napsterized to death" as it was back in the 1990's. It is much more expensive to produce and market a hit movie than an LP. A major studio's product is too expensive for that sort of leakage overall and the $1 per song "i-tunes solution" that barely sufficed for the music industry will not cut it for the film industry. Meanwhile, DVD sales continue to plummet, down 25% from just a few years ago and their is nothing the studios can do about it. Interestingly enough, the recent decline in the economy is not to blame for falling DVD sales as one might assume. The average "consumer" is actually the culprit here. The modern consumer no longer feels the need to "pay" for media when there is so much free content on the Internet. New piracy laws won't help either. What Americans keep forgetting (myself included sometimes) is that it's a big big world out there...a world that doesn't always follow or care about 'American law'. There is nothing President Obama or anyone else can do to stop media piracy. Hollywood's recent pleas for help from President Obama is nearly laughable when one considers the advancement of technology and its affect on digital media. Unfortunately, as that technology continues to improve, piracy will only get worse, not better. If the US can't stop foreign dictators from building nuclear weapons, how is it supposed to stop a few overseas corporations (or even individuals) from setting up shop and creating his/her own "bit-torrent" web site in a country that the US has no jurisdiction over? It can't, is the simple answer. The only way to stop media from being stolen is to stop making the media. This is exactly what will happen to several major movie studios and/or entertainment companies over the next 5 years. We're going to see several of these companies collapse and only the very strong will survive. In other words, thanks to technology, Hollywood is finally catching a glimpse of it's own Armageddon.
Independent Films and TV Networks, on the other hand, will be the product that thrives in this new market. The "digital revolution" that is currently killing distribution profits for the studios has become a god send for independent producers and distributors. Thanks to the new world of "Desktop Filmmaking" it is now so inexpensive to produce independent media and release it to the world that just about anyone can create his/her own movie or tv show. Independent producers can do this at a fraction of the price of a major network or studio and they can even distribute their own media with out the need of a major distributor too. These days Amazon.com can solve a producers distribution problems with a click of a mouse. Granted, not all of these hybrid "micro budget projects" will be good, but the few that are will clearly stand out from the crowd and generate millions of fans and potentially millions of dollars for the more succesful independent companies.
Unlike the major studios, the independents don't need to earn "hundreds of millions" from the digital release of one film or TV show. Independents "desire exposure" more than anything else and could care less if all of China is consuming their media for free, so long as a few million Americans have abided the law domestically and paid a $3.00 for that media. In fact, the really savvy independent film companies such as West Bridge Entertainment are already discovering revolutionary new ways to generate profit by fusing "advertisment with media" without distracting their audiences with the advertising. Some of these newer techniques allow the company to both privately finance their films through private investors and/or through corporations and ad agencies that are in need of a little "product branding". Then the company releases those films to the world without the need of a major studio or distributor. The process allows the company to become "truly independent".
Ironically, piracy isn't an issue for the company either. In fact, West Bridge Entertainment is gearing up to produce it's first patent pending "ad fusion film" that actually "encourages pirates to steal it." Why? "Because advertisers want their message heard or seen by as many people as possible (including pirates) and are willing to pay for that exposure. Pirates overseas might be able to digitally swipe the next best horror film over the Internet, but they still can't "download a pair of Nike running shoes" to their desktop. Not yet anyway.
For more information about West Bridge Entertainment and it's film ventures, visit www.WestBridgeEntertainment.com
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10-02-2009 @ 7:00AM
matt said...
yes there is a way to effect these producers of bootleg materiel in china and other places. trade restrictions, is it really going to hurt us to have a few less press board assemble yourself desks at wallmart?
while i havenogreat sympathy for the big corpoations that are making a claim to be such patriots copywrites must be honored. I resent when you say that the average person steals copywrited materiel. the average person has no idea how to even go about it with no huge sites like napster anymore.
the horror stories of people being sued for $10,000 a song pretty much stopped the average person to do this. only the dumb are willing toface finacial ruin and possible criminal prosecution for a song or a movie
10-02-2009 @ 8:32AM
luckysunday22 said...
And...I can't think of a nicer group of people that this could happen to. These are the same social wierdo's that vote democrat over and over and push the liberal ideology upon the rest of the center right country. I'm sure these are the same people that hate when big oil companies make money, when wall street (the same people who manage their money) take in some good salaries, and when the people who owned stock and bonds in the auto industry, not only cheered, but had an active role in the election of the man that stole property from them and gave it to the unions. And now they want the government to do more to protect their property rights. How ironic. I hope they all go broke, and I, for one of many, will continue to try to get their stuff for free (as in wait till it comes out on regular tv) then ever pay these fools another dime.
10-02-2009 @ 7:32AM
Brutuss100 said...
"F" Hollywood and "F" all the whiny-ass people associated with it. Left-wing Liberal Pieces of SH**. Most of them suck at what they do and now they need the suckiest president to come and rescue them. Woe-is-me losers. Actors don't know how to be real, so they drama-queen everything.
SHUDDUP!
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10-02-2009 @ 10:55AM
wfg said...
YOU MUST BE MAD, ABOUT YOUR POWER BEING TURNNED OFF SO YOU CAN WATCH WRESTELING AND BOWLING. DON'T BLAME HOLLYWOOD BLAME YOUR BLOOD LINE, PROOF THERE IS WILDERBEAST IN YOUR BACKGROUND.
10-02-2009 @ 7:31AM
jade said...
Will that become priority after the bid for the olympics or should it come befor the economy crisi, the afganistan war the housing bust , the jobless numbers or the our of control deficit. I think he will take care of that first thing cause it is sooooo important. GET A LIFE!!!
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10-02-2009 @ 7:49AM
Koch said...
Thats right hollywood we are in a war losing soldiers everyday and you want your president to help you with pirating. You arrogant morons. You should be ashamed of yourself. Dont worry though the great obama will probably help you because he want s to get reelected in three years.
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10-02-2009 @ 8:25AM
Crazy world said...
"We are the essence of America. Since the founding of our country, our work has provided light in the darkness of conflict, humor in the depths of sadness, beauty in the face of ugliness, and reason in the dysfunction of division."
Yeah right. If Hollywood is the "essence of America", it explains why the country has become moraly bankrupt!
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10-02-2009 @ 8:40AM
Keith said...
Poor, poor Hollywood. I guess if they keep losing money ot "pirates" they can do like me and go get about three f-ing jobs to make ends meet. Ironically, I've been in this state since about the time the new Congress took offoce. Odd coincidence I'm sure. Their second option is to keep whining about their sorry state of affairs to the "Great One."..........or a third option would be to go f-ck themselves, which I highly favor. Guess that "Hope an Change" is not working out too well for them either.
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10-02-2009 @ 8:49AM
Gina said...
Now this cracks me up!! Oh...the poor Horrorwood crowd doesn't make any money...and they are being ripped off for pennies. Awwwwhhhhh.... So let's get our un-American president to help the poor, poor people out! LOL What a joke!
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10-02-2009 @ 8:55AM
kim said...
Maybe the public should start writning letters to the SH.. of a president we have, and ask him to help us as well. No that won't do just keep using our money to help all the corporations out there so that they can continue to live a life style of vacations, bonuses, private planes. Yea our country if so far gone right now, we will never get it back. China owns us, we borrow from them. Our children will have a debt to pay till the day they die. Our new born babies come inot the world owning our countries debt. So they are in debt the day they are born. Obama doesn't have a clue. He is tearing our country apart. His wife is no better. Move the Olympics to their home state. Why not more money for the state. IMPEACH OBAMA BEFORE, FIRE HIS ASS. If people can't do there job don't they fire them?? Hell, fire the whole cabinet. look at social secruity, put everyone in the same social secruity system, then see how fast it changes. Obama has given so much of our money, they have used our social securty money, and this would have been a simple fix from the start. My solution: Give everyone 1 million dollars. Anyone over the age of 50 has to retire. Thats about 40 million people. That opens up 40 million jobs. JOB PROPLEM FIXED.
You must buy an american car...Auto industry fixed.
You must pay off your current mortgage or buy a home..Housing industry fixed and Banking iindustry fixed.
Now if that isn't enough, have all the those in the cabinet pay their back taxes...So HOW HARD WOULD IT HAVE BEEN??? The time has come to take back our country, and the day is coming it will happen, People are tired of this shit.
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10-02-2009 @ 10:25AM
Silent Josh said...
So your "easy solution" is to completely remove everyone's freedoms? Yeah, brilliant ideas, I can see how imposing a Communist solution is perfect. Who needs freedom to decide where and when to work, when you can just tell us? Who needs a capitalist market to decide what products could and should be bought, when you can just tell us. Do you miss the Soviet Union? Because your plan is pretty much how they operated. And wait, isn't that what all you right wingers are screaming that Obama's being evil and doing?
10-02-2009 @ 11:37AM
Barbara said...
thank you Kim, just so you know there is alottttt of people including myself that have said the same thing, if the bailout money had been given to the people with a few stipulations, we could have saved not only the industries that were falling, but saved our homes, jobs, etc. and therefore helped the economy.
10-02-2009 @ 2:15PM
chris said...
nice solution there but what about the crime problem do we just throw everyone in prison?and what about people using foul language should we just revoke freedom of speach?and while im at it why not just remove all rights because we all belong in prison anyways
10-02-2009 @ 9:16AM
Gina said...
Isn't it ironic that this group of people thinks they have every right in the world to make as much money as possible, but others in different jobs in this world do not?? Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?
"We are the essence of America. Since the founding of our country, our work has provided light in the darkness of conflict, humor in the depths of sadness, beauty in the face of ugliness, and reason in the dysfunction of division."
Wow...are their egos over inflated or what?? The 'essense of America'??? I DON'T THINK SO! IN FACT...YOU'RE AT THE OTHER END OF THIS COUNTRY'S 'ESSENCE' DIRT BAGS.
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10-04-2009 @ 9:42AM
CJ said...
The pot can't call the kettle black anymore. It's racist.
10-02-2009 @ 1:42PM
Tony said...
THANK YOU, Gina, et al. Well said.
It is interesting that the President who signed the protective law in the first place (Pres. Bush) was the biggest victim of Hollywood's slanderous attacks.
These pirates are doing to the entertainers what government is doing to the rest of America.Hollywood devoted so much time and energy and money to securing Obama's election, now they want their quid pro quo--now they are appealing for help to Pres. Obama.
But he is Mr. Redistribution!!! He is taking from everyone else in the country to redistribute it to others, why not Hollywood too? I would love to see the president's reply to their appeal: "Sorry, but as you know, that [redistribution of wealth] is what I am all about." I doubt Obama will help them. If he does, how much more hypocritical will he appear?!
"Mr. Long John Silver" must have been signed up by ACORN! I'm sure he's a registered democrat too.
10-02-2009 @ 9:10AM
dlmaring said...
So they want to be capitalist while everybody else becomes a socialist? Hollywood is full of hypocrites. Why don't they redistribute their wealth and property to the masses?
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10-02-2009 @ 8:58AM
Gina said...
Isn't it ironic that this group of people thinks they have every right in the world to make as much money as possible, but others in different jobs in this world do not?? Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?
"We are the essence of America. Since the founding of our country, our work has provided light in the darkness of conflict, humor in the depths of sadness, beauty in the face of ugliness, and reason in the dysfunction of division."
Wow...are their egos over inflated or what?? The 'essense of America'??? I DON'T THINK SO! IN FACT...YOU'RE AT THE OTHER END OF THIS COUNTRY'S 'ESSENCE' ---EGOMANIACAL, UN-AMERICAN DIRT BAGS!!
Reply
10-02-2009 @ 9:03AM
nama said...
Hey, they are just spreading the wealth. Don't you get it? That was the premise on which you Hollywood persons campaigned for this administration, now spread the wealth.
Reply