[Some Random Bloke]

Thought I'd start a new thread since the other one was getting off topic - here.

I wasn't sure if Aussie stations got a cut, guess that clears that up. The main problem is, of course, that for whatever reason we don't get the same content as in the US. 9 killed Farscape before it ended and you can bet they won't air the last episodes. 7 did the same with Caprica. You can only buy them from the US iTunes store so in a sense you could argue no one is being robbed. Game of Thrones is available locally but only standard def. If they were all on the Aussie iTunes store I'd much rather buy from there, but it's impossible. It really does defy logic.

So while it is a breach of licensing, I feel all smug and self-justified... IF it came to a court case, I wonder if they'd even win given you can't get some of these shows otherwise (except physical disk, and that raises a whole lot of other issues).

[JZ]

As you mentioned else where. What's the difference of buying a DVD or blu ray from overseas? If your paying for the tv shows from iTunes. It's just all licensing crap.

[Islandhead]

So it's ok to break the law (licensing, not copyright or piracy) just because you want whatever it is you are buying?

This is an interesting case I think. How far does it go?

Why do shows get cut half way through? Are the Australian companies terminating shows half way through because they can't afford the license? Maybe due to the fact that advertising shown between these programs are a big part of their revenue and advertisers want ratings but the ratings aren't there because people are giving their money to American licensers? Is it a self fulfilling prophecy that soon most of our Aussie dollars that get used for this kind of entertainment will be going to the US?

[Islandhead]

I've just thought of another issue. Aren't you technically committing fraud by pretending you live in the US?

Edit: An email on this issue was sent to Apple and they got his response from them:

"I need to let you know that it is indeed in violation of certain copyright laws to access content in unauthorized territories. It is also against the iTunes Store's terms of sale and service to falsify any information on your iTunes Store account."

[Some Random Bloke]

You are right - I never said it was legal

But hey, the producers are still getting their money! It's not like torrenting. But I concede the legal point (the moral point is more grey, IMO!).

Networks close down shows because of low ratings, yes. But they don't get low ratings because viewers are downloading content from the US iTunes store - I think that would have a negligible effect, if any. Caprica got pulled by Syfy after one season, the announcement came half way through 7's airing and they never (AFAIK) aired the second half. Nothing to do with Aussie ratings. Farscape never finished airing in Australia after it was pulled. Still can't get either on the Aussie iTunes store.

[Dylstra]

The reason why torrents are so popular is because they are convenient and easy.

The more obstacles you place between consumers and content then the more the pirate torrents will thrive.

The writing is on the wall for tv networks and they can desperately try and grab as much money out of their current business model as they like, but that's only going to hasten their demise.

Bring it on, I say. That will be the end of tv shows named after their timeslot (Sunrise, Today, Weekend Sunrise, Sunday Night, Today/Tonight, and so on).

People are no longer going to watch whatever drivel is cheap and satisfies local production requirements. People want to watch good quality programs, when and how they want.

I heard Larry Miller say on his podcast a while back, something like, "Podcasting is like the early days of television. Nobody knows how to make money out of it yet, but everyone is having fun doing it."

[Some Random Bloke]

Agree re torrents. I don't know whether networks are on their way out, but withholding shows and online content after they've aired won't help their case.

[Some Random Bloke]

That's interesting. Apple are making it harder to use multiple iTunes Store accounts to download content to the same computer. You can only use one iTS account every 90 days from the same computer account. Doesn't lock you out of other iTS accounts altogether, but it does make it less convenient. And this isn't just international accounts - while setting up the new ATV we didn't quite understand home sharing and my son tried to log into his (Australian) iTunes Store account from my Mac account so we could access some TV shows. Couldn't do it. As it turns, fortunately, out we didn't need to.

This seems to be a brand new restriction because I've been freely switching between my Aussie and US accounts until today.

Unless I'm missing something. Anyone else noticed it? Does it have something to do with the new ATV? Or just something in the new T&C that has just been switched on?