Piracy of movies has been around since the dawn of the home video player. Back in the early eighties Sony marketed a home move format called BetaMax against the rival VHS format and quickly lost. The home video industry took off like a rocket. Video rental stores sprang up like weeds on the lawn. The average movie rental was around $5 and to own a movie would anywhere from $59.99 and on up. The first movies I ever owned were Rocky I, II, & III all pirated on one VHS cassette. The cost was $30. The quality was poor, but people filled my living room time after time to view them at my Rocky fest complete with pizza and brew.
The home video grew and VHS morphed into DVD while the piracy industry blossomed side by side with it. Along the way in the 90's the internet opened new doors for video pirates and the industry opened a new challenge with free file sharing. Television not to be left behind began to release programs for home video sale and the pirates grew greedier. Now, if you are not getting the movie for free it can cost as little as a dollar for a previously viewed tape or DVD.
TV offers a vision
The TV networks have wised up to the internet making it their alley instead of the home of their enemies. This year with NBC leading the way if you miss a program at its original airdate, you may be able to view it online as soon as the next day. The selection offered by the networks is small, but the shows are big. I just viewed NBC's Heroes episode 1-11. This is huge for the nets because I am a big screen person. You know the type 60 inches or better, thank you. I think people who watch TV on less than a 29 inch screen are deprived. People who watch TV on a phone are moronic. Microscopic TV is not for me. Still, I watched all 11 episodes of Heroes on my computer. Why would you pay for a pirated version if you can see the real deal for free?
The future of free TV
Giving a person the convenience to sample or watch a program at their leisure is a bold marketing move. More and more people like me telecommute. If I have a break, I don't have to go to the TiVo or DVR. I can stop sit back and scan the show in my office. This will in turn open up the fifteen second commercial market for advertisers. Fifteen seconds is the surfer's attention span for advertisements. The next step is to increase the interactivity programming. The market gains will be huge. The Nielsen ratings will give way to web stats. Better yet for them, I will probably rewatch the episodes on my large screen TV. I have the best of both worlds and the pirates are not getting any of my money.
Why am I attracted?
I viewed the first episode of Heroes online on a whim and I was hooked. Hopefully, this program can run a few years. Right now, my TV time is at an all time low. I do sample movie trailers online, so why not TV shows. The convenience is the key. I do have regular programs I would like to see, but my schedule will not allow it. I don't care about TiVo-ing. I want the program there when I am ready. The net offers that. In my real free time, I don't watch TV normally. I like to spend my time doing out of home things. I can shoot into the city; catch a band around my town, etc. I don't want to have to stay home. Therefore, the convenience of catching a show I like on a work break just feels right.
Where does this leave the pirates?
The concept eases out the pirates a bit more. If the networks learn to keep the commercials to fifteen seconds or fewer, it will virtually force many pirates out of business. Now, if I can only get CBS to put Shark online I could be really happy.
