ASTRA marshals support with survey showing Aussies in favour of piracy crackdown
Andrew Maiden
A new survey by the Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association (ASTRA) has released a new survey claiming 60 per cent of Australians support the prosecution of individuals who facilitate piracy.
The Auspoll survey of 1,013 people was released yesterday to coincide with the release of a discussion paper which recommended websites hosting pirated material should be blocked and internet service providers forced to stop their users illegally downloading content, such as TV shows like Game of Thrones.
According to the survey, which had a 3.1 per cent margin of error, 53 per cent of people said the government should do more to combat piracy.
“By proposing tougher measures to crack down on piracy, the Government is reflecting the views of a majority of Australians who believe that piracy is theft,” said Andrew Maiden, CEO of ASTRA.
Australia has long been one of the most prolific nations in the world for piracy. As Mumbrella revealed in April Australians represented more than 11 per cent of illegal downloads of first episode of Game of Thrones season four, a result which is well above its percentage of the global population.
In a statement ASTRA said the survey results supported the government proposals to combat piracy.
“The majority of Australians will welcome measures that improve education about piracy and encourage ISPs to take reasonable steps to prevent it,” said Maiden.
“Those who download pirate television content are not only breaking the law, they are undermining investment in local television production and jeopardising the jobs of Australians who work in the sector.”
Maiden also said the subscription television sector was willing to work constructively with internet providers to ensure new measures gained wide support and the cost of any scheme was fairly shared between content owners and ISPs.
The discussion paper was originally leaked to news website Crikey on Friday and many of the proposals in the discussion paper have been criticised for being impractical and risk driving up prices due to ISPs passing on the increased costs of monitoring and enforcing copyright.
The ASTRA boss also acknowledged there was a burden on content makers to not delay the Australian broadcast of programming, which is seen as a major driver of piracy.
“Already the subscription television sector has taken major steps by making content available faster, cheaper and more conveniently,” he said.
“The industry will continue taking supply-side steps that make it easier for Australian television viewers to act lawfully.
“But the fact that someone may wish services were cheaper or offered on different terms is no better an excuse for piracy than for shoplifting.”
Maiden’s comments come as Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull described online piracy as “simply theft” in a radio interview this morning.
Nic Christensen
Nonsense………I wonder how long it took them to find even that many to agree?
Australians do not like being held to ransom and pay outrageously inflated prices for digitally delivered media…….besides…who downloads anymore its all about Netflix…..nothing like being a dinosaur…..good work …Andrew
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i call bullshit and agree with Jack.
i’d love to see the survey and what the question was asked. Maybe the respondents were confused with real high seas piracy? i definitely think we need to crack down on that.
Stop serving the Foxtel and Murdoch interests and open your eyes. I bet the same 60% think fibre to the node and having old infrastructure 20 years behind the world is also smart and good governance.
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Depending on how the question was phrased, I think it’s very possible that a lot of people are against piracy provided it doesn’t stop them from buying cheap DVDs from Bali.
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can someone put the report on bit torent so i can read it
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Why have Malcolm Turnbull’s other comments been left off this article?
He also said in that same media interview that if producers want to stop online piracy from Australians then they should stop gouging Australians to download video content legally.
We pay rates that are 50% higher than other countries, no wonder people choose to download illegally.
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So ASTRA found a bunch of people who pay for Foxtel and they thought other people should have to pay too? Yeah that makes sense. Only 100% biased sample.
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Results which echo surveys released in the UK and US within the past week.
In wonder how ASTRA managed to rig them as well?
So to the above commenters, I have no doubt that in your narrow world your opinions are representative. But there are many, many people out there who simply do not agree with you.
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Where did they find the 1013 people? In the Foxtel offices in North Ryde?
Why would 1013 people even HAVE an opinion on pirated TV shows. I would think the survey results would be: 100% – Are you kidding? Downloading a TV show? I don’t give a shit, and don’t call me again.
ASTRA are just as irrelevant as Freeview. 2 rubbish entities waging war on something as important as whether to pop a zit or not…
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As the comedian Lewis CK puts it… putting up barriers of availability and pay walls does not protect the rights holders money… it keeps them from making the money. Have a listen to this short piece… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d458sm5ToWk
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