Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

DVD Release Delays Boost Piracy and Hurt Sales, Study Shows (torrentfreak.com)

Posted by msmash on from the why-do-we-pirate-stuff,-Mr.-Wayne? dept.

One of the reasons that drive people to piracy is the delay in the release of a title's DVD or Blu-Ray in their local market. According to a new academic paper from Carnegie Mellon University, movie fans are finding it increasingly difficult to wait for the official DVD or Blu-Ray to come out. From a TorrentFreak report: Due to artificial delays which vary across different parts of the world, pirates can often get their hands on a high-quality rip of a movie before the DVD is officially released in their country. Researchers have looked into this piracy "window of opportunity," and found that release delays are actually hurting DVD and Blu-Ray sales. "Our results suggest that an additional 10-day delay between the availability of digital piracy and the legitimate DVD release date in a particular country is correlated with a 2-3% reduction in DVD sales in that country," the researchers write.

4 of 202 comments (clear)

  1. Really? by kimvette · · Score: 3, Funny

    No shit, Sherlock.
    Next, are they going to tell us water is wet?

    --
    The Christian Right is Neither (Christian nor right). See: Matthew 23, Matthew 25, Ezekiel 16:48-50
  2. Re:No shit... but, by Sloppy · · Score: 4, Funny

    Right. Text should be:

    The "refusing to sell hurts sales" hypothesis was further confirmed today, but skeptics claim experiment is not reproducable. Zombie Jack Valenti claims, "I keep telling MPAA members that if they just hiss and spit at customers enough, and act sufficiently outraged whenever the public offers them money, the public will respond with increased demand. Keep saying No! No Sale is the only path to success. I know some of the younger businesspeople will be tempted by their shareholders' advice to 'maximize profit' or 'serve the financial interests of the company' or 'don't be a fraud and blatant mismanager' or 'condition people to be habitually paying customers instead of constantly offering them incentives to pirate' but don't be mislead by such witchcraft. Taking money from customers is not sound economic strategy!"

    --
    As copyright owner of this comment, I authorize everyone to defeat any technological measure which limits access to it.
  3. Re:DVD? by the_skywise · · Score: 4, Funny

    Laugh while you can monkey boy but everyone knows that DVDs have warmer video than cold looking digital streams or blu-ray!

    Like LPs they'll be making a comeback soon enough!

    Retro-tech for teh win!

  4. Piracy is educational by inerlogic · · Score: 4, Funny

    i can watch and re-watch Deadpool AND learn Korean from the subtitles... win/win