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Wednesday, June 5, 2013

The Cynical Girl: Piracy Kills Jobs

The Cynical Girl: Piracy Kills Jobs

Link to The Cynical Girl

Piracy Kills Jobs

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 03:45 AM PDT

imagesI want to say two things that are facts.

  • Piracy is wrong.
  • When you illegally download media and art from the internet, you are stealing.

Stolen art is stolen art whether it’s a Picasso or a crappy Adam Sandler movie. And I don’t give a rip about wealthy musicians or famous actors. They can all go fuck themselves. I do care about craftsmen, singers, painters, assistants, writers, technicians and even junior marketing associates who are paid based on the reach and resonance of their art.

When you consume pirated art and media, you are stealing from normal people who are compensated based on the success of their work.

But, yeah, uh, I will say this:

Broadcasting is evolving. Release schedules are being disrupted. Media executives are struggling to understand how to monetize a portfolio of “products” while living in an on-demand world. And the pace of change is not matching consumer sentiment and needs.

So this is why I understand why some people might download Season 2 of Homeland before it’s available on DVD.

I don’t know anyone who might do that, of course, but I do understand the desire to consume art and media on your own terms and not capitulate to faceless marketing executives who create a release date for the aforementioned DVDs in order to push 4Q13 holiday sales higher to meet shareholder demands and satisfy executives who  are locked into a bonus-driven compensation plans.

So yeah. And this.

Yes, the whole system is jacked up; however, I think consumers have an obligation to understand that consumption comes at a cost. If you want great art, you have to pay for it.

If you hate the current media distribution channels, you can support local artists who are just as good (if not better) than national acts. You can push for more broadcasting choices by visibly supporting alternative media channels. And you can also show solidarity with artists of all kinds by accessing media through your local library

Stuff at the library is always free.

And if you are going to download media before its official release date to find out what happens with Carrie and Brody, the very least you can do is to buy a legal copy when it finally comes out.

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