Studios want FCC Decision on HD Movie Cable Waiver

[jerry24]

and the beating goes on ....

Studios want FCC decision on HD movie cable waiver
FROM MCN: Would allow release prior to DVD window
By John Eggerton of Multichannel News -- Video Business, 9/3/2009
SEPT. 3 | FROM MCN: Movie studios are pushing the Federal Communications Commission to make a decision on granting them a waiver that would allow them to deliver HD movies to cable subscribers in advance of their DVD release, a move that concerns independent producers and fair use activists.

In June 2008, the Motion Pictures Association of America asked the FCC to waive its prohibition on selectable output controls to allow them to selectively block the copying of HD movies via cable set-top

boxes. They say in order to move up the multichannel video HD window while still protecting the DVD window, the need to be able to prevent their being copied.

[edgedvd]

What has to happen to protect all distribution channels is to eliminate the "theater" window.  Unfortunately no one is paying attention to the actual loss that is happening because of piracy.  They put a number on it - but their "dollar figure" is completely inaccurate.  I was in a walmart breakroom today and employees were passing around copies of District 9, Final Destination, and get this Gamer.

People run mostly on instant gratification, they dont care if it is illegal, free, .99 or 25.99.  They want it now.  I would imagine that if there was a legal way to purchase and or rent the movie the same day it hit theaters, some of these people would buy it.  Yes some would buy it just to copy it, but at least there was one sale and not zero.  They have already proven that eliminating windows doesnt eliminate the channel being protected.  Rental, VOD both gone.

Unfortunately as a group (Video Retail) we have become very quiet and outdated.  If we were to utilize technology and update our stores, then I think we would be around much longer.  We would also be showing the studios and distributors that we still care and are willing to change (maybe the next change would come our way, instead of the cable company).

Michael Knecht
Video Express Lane