In echoes of the screenwriters' strike in the US, the final push has indeed come from advertisers who need to measure their online audience so that they can pay their rights holders accordingly — with some broadcasters — the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five, BSkyB, BT Vision and Virgin Media — negotiating a suspension of payments to rights holders until everyone can agree on a measurement system.
The result is the Broadband Measurement Working Group (BMWG), which also includes the Audit Bureau of Circulations Electronic, the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising and Barb, the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board.
Downloading is only currently illegal in many instances because legal versions aren't made available by the official owners because the official owners can't figure out how to monetise it. Meanwhile television-loving peoples around the world are criminalised in the millions for simply wanting to catch up with their favourite shows, something they've been trained to do in the first place by advertisers and broadcasters.
Funny, isn't it?
"Downloading is only currently illegal in many instances because legal versions aren't made available by the official owners because the official owners can't figure out how to monetise it."
Eh? Are you saying that downloading is illegal only because legal versions aren't available? Presumably you meant downloading illegal version are currently the only way of seeing a particular show?
Posted by: Fux Mudler | November 13, 2007 at 12:54
Well yes. Isn't that what I said? I suppose not, actually. Right, I'll clarify.
Posted by: Alice | November 13, 2007 at 13:51
Although I suppose I just did.
Posted by: Alice | November 13, 2007 at 13:59