Record Box Office Indicates MPAA 'Piracy Problem' Hot Air 244
Kinescope writes "The motion picture industry has said that its profits are at risk due to piracy, but a record-setting 2007 box office has some wondering if the industry is crying 'wolf.' Last year, the US box office totaled $9.63 billion, a 5.4% increase over 2006. 'Piracy is so bad, according to the MPAA, that we need special legislation to target the dastardly college pirates who are destroying the business. It's so bad that Weekly Reader subscribers will learn about the $7 billion a year "lost" to Internet piracy. It's so bad that the MPAA wants ISPs to ignore years of common carrier law and the promises of "safe harbor" and start filtering their traffic, looking for copyright violations. The real world isn't quite this simple, of course. It turns out that the MPAA's college numbers were off by a factor of three, a revelation that came after years of hiding the study's methodology but continuing to lobby Congress with its numbers.'"
Summary is off by 3 orders of magnitude (Score:4, Funny)
How about "billion" instead? (It'll probably get corrected.)
Well, either that, or piracy has indeed PWNED the movie industry. Bad. Hah.
Re:And this is with movies sucking... (Score:2, Funny)
Mind if I drink your milkshake then?
Re:Old News, but ... (Score:5, Funny)
The legislation enacted was almost EXACTLY what was requested by Gov. Schwarzenegger... and STILL they cry 'Blame Canada!'
It's the Canadians' fault, with their beady little eyes and flapping heads so full of lies.
Re:And this is with movies sucking... (Score:-1, Funny)
After dinner mints.... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:summary wrong (Score:5, Funny)
How DARE you imply that anything other than those Evil Content Pirates(tm) is responsible for any downturn (or not a big enough increase) in our profits!!!!
</MPAA>
Re:And this is with movies sucking... (Score:3, Funny)
Juno was good, too. But if I ever consider seeing another Michael Bay movie in theaters, I want you to shoot me.
Re:summary wrong (Score:3, Funny)
Well what did you expect of those who... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:summary wrong (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Old News, but ... (Score:2, Funny)
Since more than half of North-America consists of Canada( 3,854,085 sq mi, USA 3,794,066 sq mi ) , small wonder.
Medical Profession (Score:3, Funny)
e. Fixing someone who got hit with a stick, 20k/yr
f. 3 year treatment for burnout, 120k/yr
Re:summary wrong (Score:3, Funny)
Re:I Know This Music..... (Score:3, Funny)
Year-End Loss: Poor artists/writers/engineers are to blame. It's not our fault.
Year-End Profit: We knew piracy wasn't that bad!
Not Enough Bandwidth: ISPs have to upgrade infrastructure. It's not our fault.
Excess Bandwidth: Whee! More music and music!
Low Box Office Turnout: The movies are crap. It's not our fault.
High Box Office Turnout: What the hell are the MAFIAA complaining about?
Low Record Sales: Well, if they'd stop producing that mass-produced popcorn, perhaps they'd sell more. It's not our fault.
High Record Sales: Y'know, I think maybe piracy actually helps the music industry! That's just too convenient not to make sense!
(Mods, turn-around is fair game)
Re:It's much simpler than that (Score:3, Funny)
So you're the one who made me stop going to the movies.
Stop "socializing" during the fucking movie!
Re:Stop giving me that crap about the "good movies (Score:3, Funny)
Don't hold back, tell us how you really feel.