Bias much, CBS? The network ran a report on 60 Minutes the other day (which shows how far off our radar the show is, seeing as though we just found out about it) that, according to TechDirt’s fantastic report, is basically a piece of MPAA propaganda. It makes all sorts of ridiculous claims that can easily be disproven by, you know, spending two minutes looking this stuff up.
The premise was this: Internet piracy is ruining the movie business. No dissenting opinions were presented to dispute that idea, so right away the report was a little fishy.
The report said that because so much money is being lost to piracy, less fewer movies are being made, and Hollywood is doomed as a result. Of course that’s a lie, since TechDirt dug up the statistics that show that nearly twice as many movies were made in 2008 as there were in 2004. And yes, more money was made.
I’ve embedded a clip (I don’t know if it’s visible outside the U.S., sorry about that) to illustrate what a piece of garbage the report was.
The beauty is that the report was presented as Lesley Stahl Reports, some really official thing, when I can guarantee the woman has no idea what she’s talking about. The look on her face when the guy explains peers and seeders and whatnot to her is priceless. That’s a good way to get an accurate report: have someone who is so clearly out of their element present the information.
And to address a TechDirt comment, as to who watches CBS anymore. That’s the thing: the people who use these technologies, who actually know what’s going on, aren’t watching, but the people who have the power to impact said technologies do. The show 60 Minutes may not mean a damn thing to anyone under the age of 60, but how many people running uTorrent all day long know how to hire a lobbyist who can call a congressman to put the wheels in motion for a DMCA-type law? What do you think your senator is more familiar with, 60 Minutes or Slashdot?
good write up and you’re correct about her reaction. Too funny as she almost looked stoned for a second.
Also, I’m in Canada and can watch the clip
wow, we can join a swarm and download angels and deamons? how does cbs work this magic? can i do this too? ooh and where do i get that neat spinny program to show me ‘in real time’ whats happening =S
i wish it wasnt hollywood who was suffering but these ‘important news programs’ instead.
Nick, it’s really time for you to take 5 minutes and learn the difference between less and fewer. You make this simple mistake way too often.
Good day.
Glad you could contribute to the conversation.
you doesn’t knowed what you were talking about. nick speaked greater englush for me then you.
you know the fucked up part? you can still understand my last post, as bad as he grammar is.
you guys do a good job at techcrunch. i totally understand the relaxed blogging style of the website, and haven’t had any problems understanding any of the concepts put forward. just fyi, though, i personally wouldn’t give any douchebag ammunition about my grammar or english, but i most certainly have a different academic background and i’m sure that has something to do with how I view my communication both verbal and typographic.
As a matter of fact, Gramr polizia is correct. My AP Stylebook (we nominally follow AP style here, but that clearly doesn’t happen all of the time) says:
fewer, less: In general, use fewer for individual items, less for bulk or quantity.
I generally like to keep these posts as error-free (spelling and grammar-wise, not pesky things like “facts”) as possible, so I do appreciate Gramr polizia’s efforts.
It’s Nicholas, by the way. Thank you~!
Maybe it’s just me. But if movie industry made 2x the movies shouldn’t the money made also go up?
I haven’t read all the data but any business that works twice as hard to make the same money is not a model I want to duplicate…
Have you seen many movies lately? They may be making twice as many, but they sure as hell aren’t working twice as hard.
Point taken. I disagree but that is one way to look at it.
But the facts are they are make 2x the movies and making the same money. Look at *$… They started working too hard for the money and started closing stores all over the place.
It didn’t make sense as a business model. Apple would prefer to sell fewer and make more per sale.
I doubt the movie industry is thinking, like walmart here.
The best part of this story had to be the look of horror and shock on Stahl’s face when the Fed or whoever he is told her that one guy was recording movies in the theater….
AND HE HAD BROUGHT HIS CHILDREN!!!
BUM BUM BUMMMMMMMM!
Idiotic.
You know what makes me want to take a steaming shit on the CBS doorstep? Sitting through a 30 second commercial, only to be denied watching the content that I was promised.
CBS has now stolen 30 seconds of my life, and I plan on stealing as much content produced by CBS as I can for the rest of it.
Horrible excuse. I suppose you aren’t a content creator.
Listening to them describe “seeders” and “peers” makes it so obvious the divide between the generations