So, they're finallly admitting it... (ganked from theweaselking

[fearmeforiampink]

Lavinia Carey, British Video Association:

UK research shows that, on average, downloaders are film fans who view the same number of legitimate films (cinema, rented and bought DVDs) as the average active DVD consumer (24).

From BBC News

Comments

[matgb]

I actually disagree with John's take on that one, what she's saying is that I, a legitimate purchaser only, spend more on DVDs than an equivalent DLer.

That bit you quote doesn't actually support the assertion that it promotes sales as he implies.

The industry needs to catch up, fast, and allow legitimate DLs to be released for a small fee very quickly. Otherwise it will be damaged, but more by its own failure to adapt than because of piracy; that's a symptom, not a cause.

[(Anonymous)]

I don't know - she seems to be saying two rather mutually exclusive things in her statement, which is why people are reading it different ways. Compare:

"UK research shows that, on average, downloaders are film fans who view the same number of legitimate films (cinema, rented and bought DVDs) as the average active DVD"

with

"So even though they buy fewer legitimate DVDs, showing the anti-piracy trailer on a DVD is a good way to reach them with the message that file-sharing is a crime."

Unless she's rather badly trying to say they watch a higher proportion of rented and cinema, then her statements don't match up.

The industry needs to catch up, fast, and allow legitimate DLs to be released for a small fee very quickly. Otherwise it will be damaged, but more by its own failure to adapt than because of piracy; that's a symptom, not a cause.

Steve Jobs on the board of Disney is moving towards that, given that they're now working on bringing out an iTunes style movie store.