2008 Woodie Awards
Piracy rewards artists and fans
By: Anna Mavromati
Issue date: 4/22/04 Section: OP/ED
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I am sick and tired of whiny celebrities and the entertainment industry telling me not to pirate MP3's and movies from the Internet. No matter what they say and do, their arguments aren't convincing enough for me.
Argument No. 1: It's illegal.
Most people know that music and movies are copyrighted so entertainment representatives tell us that it is illegal to trade these types of files on our computers. At the same time, everyone has made copies of tapes or have recorded radio or TV shows.
If we're going to be sticking to this copyright law so strictly, we all deserve to be put in jail at this point in time.
Argument No. 2: We work just like you do.
This argument states that if people pirate movies and music, they are costing people their jobs. For example, Ben Affleck would have seven Jaguars parked in his front yard instead of six if everyone had just paid about $9 dollars to see "Jersey Girl."
The music industry should not be complaining either. MP3s are a great idea. CDs cost more money than they are worth. Most of the time there are only a few songs from the CD that are worth listening to. People should not have to buy an entire CD with 18 tracks to listen to only one or two songs they like, especially since CDs can cost up to $22.
If the entertainment industry wants to be treated fairly and with respect, it needs to do the same for us and have more reasonable prices and a better way of marketing its products.
As for the music industry, if anything, it helps them to have their songs available for free for the same reason that it helps them to get radio airplay: it draws in more listeners.
If someone listens to an artist that they normally wouldn't have paid to hear, it could gain the artist a new fan. The new fan may go out and buy the CD or pay to go to one of their concerts, which definitely benefits the artist.
Besides, not everything has to be about money. There are some people who actually act, sing, produce, dance, or direct because they like doing it.
Argument No. 1: It's illegal.
Most people know that music and movies are copyrighted so entertainment representatives tell us that it is illegal to trade these types of files on our computers. At the same time, everyone has made copies of tapes or have recorded radio or TV shows.
If we're going to be sticking to this copyright law so strictly, we all deserve to be put in jail at this point in time.
Argument No. 2: We work just like you do.
This argument states that if people pirate movies and music, they are costing people their jobs. For example, Ben Affleck would have seven Jaguars parked in his front yard instead of six if everyone had just paid about $9 dollars to see "Jersey Girl."
The music industry should not be complaining either. MP3s are a great idea. CDs cost more money than they are worth. Most of the time there are only a few songs from the CD that are worth listening to. People should not have to buy an entire CD with 18 tracks to listen to only one or two songs they like, especially since CDs can cost up to $22.
If the entertainment industry wants to be treated fairly and with respect, it needs to do the same for us and have more reasonable prices and a better way of marketing its products.
As for the music industry, if anything, it helps them to have their songs available for free for the same reason that it helps them to get radio airplay: it draws in more listeners.
If someone listens to an artist that they normally wouldn't have paid to hear, it could gain the artist a new fan. The new fan may go out and buy the CD or pay to go to one of their concerts, which definitely benefits the artist.
Besides, not everything has to be about money. There are some people who actually act, sing, produce, dance, or direct because they like doing it.