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Monday, the MPAA posted an open letter to the EFF titled “Hollywood isn’t Living in the Past, EFF Shouldn’t Either.” The testily-titled missive contains the association’s responses to claims that its actions against the RealDVD DVD burning software are an attempt to maintain control over technology and innovation.
In the most pointed paragraph of the letter, the MPAA’s Jeff Williams writes:
“Forgive us if we take offense when the EFF and other activist organizations that continually take the side of those who profit from widespread copyright infringement attack our industry as one that stifles innovation. It's a desperate throw-back to the Napster days of old when they pull out this tired and weathered playbook. It's not 2001 anymore.”
The letter also argues that Hollywood and the internet are no longer at odds, and that legal services like iTunes and Hulu represent ways in which the industry is embracing innovation.
What do you think? Is the MPAA right to say that “The days of Hollywood being from Mars and Silicon Valley being from Venus are simply over?” Hit the jump and let us know.
Image Credit: Real
Comments are closed on this article
navyvet85
May 22, 2009 at 7:02am
Here's my big thing. These companies can sell all these DVD's and CD's at a lower cost. Hell go to any Wal-Mart's electronics dept. and I'll guarantee you see the Value bin where you can buy DVD's for $5. This to me says that they could be sold at that price from the beginning and, they just have an incredible markup on those items, either at the retailer or the production end of things. I'll guarantee you that if people didn't have to wait 8-10 years to get the movies they want for a fair price, they're would be less copyright infringement.
Matarsak
October 21, 2008 at 11:09pm
The day the MPAA has truly joined us in the current century is the day that I can easily, legaly and cheaply download high-resolution movies without unwieldy DRM.
Current services are all a combination of expensive, awkward and low-quality.
Wildebeast
October 21, 2008 at 10:55pm
I've begun to think there's a positive side effect to this B.S.
Just think of all the annoying extra Divorce Lawyers and Ambulance Chasers, who all these lawsuits keep off the street.
Even if it's just for a few hours at a time, the world is a better place for it.
It's almost as good as if half of them had intermiable diarrea, and the other half had twice their normal constipation.
(How's that for a "Happy Thought of the Day?")
whitneymr
October 21, 2008 at 3:30pm
With hunting season opening up wouldn't the mpaa be covered by a varmint licenses? ;)
bcweir
October 21, 2008 at 1:38pm
The MPAA/RIAA copyright Nazi's haven't changed their stripes at all. They're still being dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century. They're still overcharging users at CD stores everywhere for their inefficent distribution practices to just plain GREED! $17.99 and up for most CD's, even those you can in most cases just purchase the handful of songs you actually want from ITunes for 99 cents each! From there you can burn your custom CD of hits for less than what it costs you in a retail store.
Forget the MPAA/RIAA's Byzantine distribution system and their monopoly on Entertainment! Digital is the way to go, and consumers are demanding the MPAA/RIAA get with the program!
xs0u1x
October 21, 2008 at 1:42pm
if theres a way to get things cheaper people will always do it. I think the mpaa is fighting a losing battle. yeah a few victories here or there...but short of fascism/communism.........it wont be stopped.
and if you think about it......the money they loose to pirating is probably barely a dent to total overall earnings. and them acting the way they are is gonna drive away more customers. they are forgetting that we line their pockets....and we OWN them with our business.....what are they gonna do......take their stuff to another country?
