On What Planet Is The 'News' That A Movie's Available On P2P Actually Considered News?
from the not-this-one dept
We've been noting with some surprise today the stories that seem to be popping up all over the place saying that Michael Moore's latest movie has made its way onto P2P networks. It's hard to see how this really constitutes news anymore, though perhaps we're wrong in assuming that pretty much any movie is available online these days. In any case, a story in Advertising Age seems to be where it all started, and it's notable -- if for no other reason than the ridiculous hyperbole contained within. The author seems genuinely surprised that he could find and download the movie easily, but the fun really starts when he says Moore and his distributor "have a [sic] every film maker's worst marketing nightmare on their hands -- how to persuade people to go to the theater to see a show that's available free on the Internet." Wow! Why would anybody go to the movies since it could be downloaded? It's not as if being available online and widely downloaded has kept other films from hitting the top of the box office, and obviously nobody went to see the latest Star Wars movie after it was leaked online -- it just managed to rake in $850 million by magic. It's probably also worth pointing out to the Ad Age reporter that Moore himself doesn't have a problem with people sharing his movies, since as far as he's concerned, "the more people who get to see them, the better."Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
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Oh wait, that's right, this is screwing him over... and he doesn't actually care about the American people, he just likes to whine and piss people off.
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Nice work.
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Re: assclown
Have you even seen any of his work? Why is it that anyone who has a point that does not line up with the neo-conservative born-again view is considered anti-American?
Because he's a bald-faced liar. OK, hairy-faced liar, but still.
No, no, hear me out! I've seen all of his movies. I even agree with him a little more than half the time. I'm always entertained by what he releases, but I also recognize it for what it is, and it ain't documentary. It's propoganda.
He willfully takes things out of context, edits out the parts that don't support his position, consciously drops important parts of the "facts" he reports. He is, in short, less fair and balanced than Fox freakin' News. He has a political axe to grind, and makes no secret of this. And he still manages to sell what he does as "documentary".
It amazes me the shenanigans he gets away with, but he is entertaining.
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I have. Remember that craptacular show he had on (*gasp*) Fox? I watched it back when I was a little kid. Seen all of his crappy movies, too.
"Why is it that anyone who has a point that does not line up with the neo-conservative born-again view is considered anti-American?"
The "don't call me unpatriotic because I don't support the right" meme is old.
"I recycle"
Pointless, but if it makes you feel better about yourself... go ahead.
"I don't have a gun"
I wouldn't advertise that. Get trained and get armed. Assuming, of course, that you're sane enough to properly handle a handgun.
"I drive a low-emission car"
Again, pointless. Guess it makes ya feel good, tho.
"use energy saving light bulbs"
Yet again, pointless.
"hug trees"
You do a lot of pointless shit that makes you feel good, huh?
"but I still proudly wave the American flag"
But? But?! Why BUT?! You've confessed something deep about yourself. I'll leave it for someone else to analyze.
o_O Anyone who says they "wave the American flag" usually doesn't and wouldn't.
It's sorta like the white guy who says his "best friend is black." You know he's bullshittin' ya. ;-)
"support our troops"
The phrase "support the troops" is meaningless, unless you also support their mission. Which I'm guessing you don't. Would love to be wrong!
Oh, yeah, did I mention I'm an atheist? I must make your head hurt. I'm pro-Choice and I'm pro-Gun. :-P
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calling bs on this one: you can perfectly support the soldiers who risk or lay down their lives for their country, yet not support the retarded reason(s) some moron(s) have sent them there...
But I guess that concept is too complicated for all the black/white, "with us or against us" simplicity you're used to
"The "don't call me unpatriotic because I don't support the right" meme is old."
so are "if you're not with us, you're against us" and "if you don't agree with us, you MUST be a traitor/terrorist"
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I've stopped calling them neo-conservatives, and instead opt for a more accurate term. Fascists.
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ROTFLMAO! Oh, God, I hurt from laughing....
The true fascists of the world, I'm sure, thank you for raping that word of it's power.
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Consumerism
I don't think Micheal Moore makes the movies he makes in order to make tons of cash. His movies aren't exactly the popcorn fodder the Hollywood studios churn out.
The broader his audience the better he can deliver his message. (Whatever that may be.)
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Re: Here is the real joke
Just about all Journalism produced in the US has become a joke. At least Michael Moore is a lot funnier than the rest.
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He changes information to make his point, just like Al Gore. I have no respect for either one. For those asking, no, I am not a conservative.
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On a planet full of stupid people....
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Lke
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Moore
Moore could be so much more effective if he were intellectually honest with his audience but, instead, like the far right he rails against he uses half-truths and outright bullshit to advance his agenda. Theres enough damage wrought by both sides of the political spectrum that no one needs to to embellish of make stuff up. Further, like the right he doesn't see that most people aren't stupid, they fall somewhere in the middle ground where common sense exists but of course both extremes will have you believing being a moderate is somehow "spineless". The left of which Moore is a flag waving part is just as guilty as the right.
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journalism
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You're missing a VERY vital point here. There are still LOTS of people that cannot believe this stuff is available online. And I'm not talking about old people with no PC or internet access.
I'm talking about people like my brother and sister (30 somthing) who use computers regularly and even the internet BUT have only just realised you can download just about any film/TV/music in the world for free.
That's just life, some people know a lot don't.
Never assume everyone is as tech minded as the people on this blog are, they aren't.
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You mean the energy saving light bulbs they put Mercury into, right? Gee that's good for the environment. Maybe if we're lucky, all the Mercury that leaks out at the city dump will cure the headaches of some rats or something.
And so what if you don't have a gun - why? Can't trust your self? I'm sure the guy who would rob you has one.. If someone broke into your house and started ripping your wife's clothes off to rape her - you wouldn't go for a weapon or at the very least, seek to kick his ass?
But still - I think Michael Moore is just a big fat guy looking for attention, without a 'shock' value, his movies would go no where. Seriously... Canadian Bacon? Years ago, before I could even care less about politics - I thought it was a stupid, boring movie. He obviously has no love for a 'Non-Socialist' America, but I can't say he 'hates' it.
But this new one... I might actually see it.
It's hard to get past his whacko theories though.
Not that I would put ANYTHING past a politician for their love of money, but I really don't think the Government's organized enough to successfully bring a conspiracy theory like that to full fruition, without someone caving to greed and singing like a bird.
How is it that Lib' go on and on about how 'dumb' Bush is and the next sentance is how he planned and executed the largest, most successful conspiracy in human history? Both can't be true.
I have no love for Bush... but still..
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Mercury in CFLs
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Less fair and balanced than Fox? WTF!?
Just listen to what he has to say, think, and go about your business. His movies promote a point of view, one that you have the choice of accepting or rejecting.
He is nothing like Fox news. I know this because my parents are so easily programmed by Fox. Whenever I visit I have to deprogram them, refute all the little sound bites they parrot as fact, and try and set their minds back in think for yourself mode. I swear, they're like god damn Moonies!
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Publicity Stunt?
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*yawn*
Availability of movies online in general - Being able to watch a movie, in the privacy of my own home, allows me to decide if it's worth going to see in a theater (ie, enhanced movie experience) and/or purchase a copy.
Cuba controversy - He broke the law. He knew he was breaking the law. Now, he's using his possible punishment as PR. It's one of his standard gimmicks - break the law, scream "persecution" when the law comes a-knockin' and generate more buzz for himself and/or his current product. The penalty will be nothing more than a slap on the wrist.
Michael Moore isn't a journalist. He's, at best, an infotainer. An infotainer with a hard left bias. Bill O'Reilly, for example, is an infotainer with a hard "traditional" / conservative bias. Whether or not they realize it, they are both jokes to journalism.
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Political Arguments
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Furthermore, saying someone who does not agree with your position is anti-whatever nation you belong to, and therefor an enemy, is a time honored weapon of fascism. Therefor, anyone who claims that someone they don't agree with is anti-American is a fascist.
If you think there aren't fascists in the neo-conservative movement, thing again. Look at Alberto Gonzales, his comments and his record. This is man would use the Constitution to wipe his ass if he thought he could get away with it, and he's just one of the fascists that inhabit the Republican party. Admittedly, he's probably the worst of them, but is not alone.
The Democratic party isn't any better, really, but I do believe that the best thing that's happened recently is the Dems winning Congress. They just just as corrupt and evil as the Repubs, but at least now the government will be too busy fighting itself through to do any further damage to the American people.
And while Michael Moore is a joke and a propagandist, I will defend his right to say what he wishes. Because the only true 'anti-Americans assclowns' are those who would condemn and create an enemy out of someone with a different point of view to their own.
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the difference between that and Fox/the conservative right is that they believe themselves to be right. Arguably derived from a Christian belief that they have the moral authority to impose their religion on anyone, the neo-conservatives believe that they are the truth that America seeks, and everyone that goes against them is unpatriotic and damaging to the integrity of the country.
so yes, we do not all proclaim moore to be a saint. but neither does he. if u read his interview in Time, he admits he twists facts. Fox believes it brings the real truth that america wants.
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Moore free publicity
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Yeah...sure
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Re: Yeah...sure
I don't need a film to tell me that insurance is one of the greatest scams of all time. Going by the business logic of, "The less you pay, the more you keep" insurance companies are motivatied to pay a little as possible in order to keep the premiums their customers pay to them.
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You do a lot of pointless shit that makes you feel good, huh?
it's like you read my mind. for example, one can easily make a valid argument about how the use of fluorescent light bulbs impact in relation to climate gases is so insignificant that the end result will be indistinguishable had you used incandescent light bulbs. but wait, what was your response? Yet again, pointless. so can i conclude you were in some self-deprecating way commenting about yourself and your own comments? if it wasn't for your first post, i'd say you were a developmentally delayed rehab patient who was addicted to crack and being held in a detainment facility who broke out and somehow managed, by sheer luck and coincidence, to find their way to this site and leave a comment.
you should have just stuck to your first post; there was substance there.
oh, and http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&safe=off&q=define%3Afascism&btnG=Search methinks you don't know what fascism means...
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silly moore, moore silly
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TechDirt Mises The Point. Again.
Rather than making rash decisions/opinions based on poor assumptions, TechDirt might take a page from /.'s book and post relevant information concerning current events.
http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/06/18/0059232&from=rss
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TDMTP Misses The Point
Um, that's the point that TechDirt was getting at. A movie getting on to P2P is not news.
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Re: TDMTP Misses The Point
TechDirt is making the point that movies on P2P are old news. The story they refer to isn't about how a movie found it's way to P2P, it's not even about a movie making it's way to P2P before being released, it's that a movie that was potentially going to be censored found it's way to P2P, where it cannot be censored.
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Re: Re: TDMTP Misses The Point
The first article cited in the post is the C|Net News.com article that has the byline "Pirates nab Michael Moore's yet-to-be released doc".
The Advertising Age article, the second link in the post, has this byline: "Michael Moore's 'Sicko' Leaked Onto Web - Every Movie Marketer's Worst Nightmare Becomes Grim Reality for Weinstein Co."
While both articles mention the whole 'stash a copy of the movie in Canada' thread - which is not about censoring but impounding the movie (it's all publicity stunt anyways) - the main topic is the fact that the movie is available on P2P and what impact it may have, if any, on movie revenues.
From the Advertising Age article:
"As it turns out, the hard part won't be getting the film released, but getting audiences to pay to see it now that its available for free."
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The point is on the top of your head, dunce.
I dunno, TDMTP, it seems like the article is about this movie finding it's way to P2P before it's scheduled release date. In fact, the article doesn't even seem to mention censorship being an issue.. the author of the article seems to be under the impression that the leak is going against Mr. Moore's wishes.
Maybe we aren't reading the same article? :)
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It's sorta like the white guy who says his "best friend is black." You know he's bullshittin' ya. ;-)
lol, that's so true...
I didn't say a thing about it - but I have a flag up on my house right now - been there since memorial day and it will remain there until the weather gets nasty. Then it will be respectfully taken down and hang in my basement until next memorial day.
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Bush...
Think about it, dumbass. Bush had/has help. No, he himself was not smart enough, but some of his "help" were. *Ahem* Dick Cheney had a lot to do with it, I hear...
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Movies and Sharing in General
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