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TV Delays Driving AU Viewers To Piracy

Astat1ne writes in with a story in The Register about the delays Australian TV viewers are experiencing getting overseas-produced series and how this is driving many of them to download the shows via BitTorrent and other peer-to-peer networks. The problem is compounded by the fact that Australian viewers are unable to download legal copies of the episodes from the US iTunes website. Quoting: "According to a survey based on a sample of 119 current or recent free-to-air TV series, Australian viewers are waiting an average of almost 17 months for the first-run series first seen overseas. Over the past two years, average Australian broadcast delays for free-to-air television viewers have more than doubled from 7.9 to 16.7 months."

10 of 394 comments (clear)

  1. The real problem by mdboyd · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is the that the toilets in Australia flush counter-clockwise. This really messes with Ted Steven's tubes and prevents licensed content from quickly reaching the country.

    You heard it here first folks...

  2. Re:Why the delay? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Give 'em a break. They need time to translate the show into Australian.

  3. Quit Overreacting, You Big Babies! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Seriously, you guys. Studio Executives always have to re-dub shows each time they go to a new language region. They do this when the show goes to Germany, they do this when the show goes to China. And of course, they re-dub shows when they go to Australia. The reason it takes so long is that Australian is notorious for being one of the worst languages on the planet.

  4. Re:Why the delay? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Give 'em a break. They need time to translate the show into Australian. There's also a minor issue with standards conversion; although Australia uses PAL, like the UK, their programmes have to undergo further conversion to flip the image upside down (which, of course, looks the right way up in Australia). The reverse also applies; this is why Britain is a bit behind Australia when showing Neighbours.

    You can take a British TV set to Australia (and vice versa), and even receive pictures, but the programmes will be the wrong way up.

    It's true, I swear.
  5. They can't? by Leuf · · Score: 3, Funny

    This situation different. If the material is not released in any pay format, the content producer cannot possibly suffer any negative consequences by banned groups' piracy.

    Just because they haven't released it YET doesn't mean there's no potential harm. If they can't get the content in a timely fashion and everyone has already watched it off bt, then why bother releasing it late? You don't get to decide when and how they have to release the content.

    The reality is that we have a global audience now. Aussies can get on the net (except for the Tassies that are still working on that whole fire thing) and want to talk with other fans of the show, but it's impossible for them to do so because the dominate online presence is a year ahead of them. The content providers have to do a better job releasing things everywhere at as close to the same time as is reasonable or else human nature is going to take over.

  6. Re:It's Still Wrong by aplusjimages · · Score: 2, Funny

    Is that you Ben Affleck? Don't worry the Aussies aren't downloading Daredevil or Gigli.

    --
    Can I bum a sig?
  7. Re:It's Still Wrong by grimJester · · Score: 2, Funny

    Piracy IS theft.

    Copyright violations ARE NOT theft.


    a) wrong.

    b) correct.

    To elaborate, piracy is robbery, not theft, committed at sea. Stealing something from a ship without getting noticed in the act would not be piracy. Threatening the crew of a ship with a cutlass while helping yourself to their booty is piracy. Possibly rape, depending on your definition of "booty".

  8. Re:Brainwashed by Maxx169 · · Score: 2, Funny

    I think the best way to think about the phrase "data wants to be free" is: Data wants to be free in the same way as water wants to leak. Water doesn't sit on its back patio thinking about the good ole days before rubber seals became common place, when it was free to leak and drip as much as it wanted, even if it had to flow through miles of scalding hot pipes on its way to school. It's just, if water is free to leak - if people don't constantly try and prevent water from leaking though patching holes and creating seals, then it will. It has a natural tendency to leak, just the same as information. It has a natural tendency to want to be free.

  9. Re:Helpful hint for non-USians to use iTunes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Terrorist! Handing out national secrets like that! The location of the White House is classified information! Wait until I tell Homeland Security about that!

    *stomps off to call homeland security*

  10. Re:MOD DOWN (-1, urban legend) by Builder · · Score: 2, Funny

    Whoosh!