﻿ Broken Bad: Australia's addiction to torrents | ZDNet

Broken Bad: Australia's addiction to torrents

Summary: Breaking Bad is available in Australia on the same day that it airs in the US, and yet Australians still torrented the final episode more than any other country.


(Image: AMC)

















But for now we have a stalemate.



Topics: Piracy, Australia





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  • Foxtel vs iTunes

    Assume for a moment I want to purchase quality TV. I want to support its production, and I don't want to steal it.

    One of the key issues with Foxtel Play / Foxtel in general are the expensive bundles. For the cost of Foxtel Play with the package including Showcase (A Foxtel invented channel that combines popular premium content from other channels normal included in the basic bundle) I could purchase around 1.5-2 new seasons passes from iTunes, a month. I'm not sure there is 1 new TV season starting each month I'd purchase.

    There is rumour that Foxtel are blocking the next season of Game of Thrones from being on iTunes the day after it airs in the Us in a push to gain subscribers. I purchased the most recent season iTunes, if it is taken off iTunes I will probably pirate it next year, I won't be buying Foxtel instead.

    Netflix always gets thrown around in these discussions, and it is important that other than the Netflix original content, Netflix is closer to a syndication of old content than cable TV. Breaking Bad wasn't available on Netflix the day after in the USA. I'm not even sure season 4 is on it yet. Netflix UK has been airing Breaking Bad soon after the USA though, and that is an interesting development with AMC seeing that as a way to combat piracy in that market. I can't see HBO ever making the same decision though.
  • 5 Hours = A lifetime

    I actually own Foxtel and I still download/stream, its sad to say but this generation is the "instant generation" and if you can't offer them what they want instantly, they are not going to give you business.

    The article says Breaking Bad aired 5 hours after it aired in the states, in those 5 hours someone has already captured the US aired footage, cut out the ads, rendered it in 720p and uploaded on one of the dozens of video hosting sites that sprung up after MegaVideo died and the links have spread like wildfire.

    Foxtel isn't appealing because video link sites, torrents and even livestreams of US channels are more appealing. I actually watch weekly and daily livestreams of Daily Show and WWE Raw, shows that Fox 8 and Comedy Channel could easily air live but instead im waiting 6 to 12 hours to watch it.

    If services like HBO Go were available outside of having to subscribe to a cable provider in the states, I'm sure people would gladly pay a small rate to watch Thrones on their TV. Also take Netflix, if this generation wants to watch a movie and it isn't on their streaming, boom you just lost a customer to piracy
    Nick Gipson
  • For me..

    When there's nothing on free TV and I want to watch a show right now, I don't care whether or not it is a show aired immediately after the US broadcast. My concern is that I can get something I want to watch when I want to watch it, and preferably something I haven't watched before. With shows like Breaking Bad there IS the additional consideration that the news will be full of spoilers the next morning -- open an online newpaper, and there will probaby be spoilers right on the front page. And I don't want to have to avoid news, etc, or lock myself indoors and avoid human contact. Otherwise, I could patiently wait. To me the overriding consideration is that something like Foxtel isn't appealing to me because it is paying for shows I do not want to watch, or constant repeats of shows I used to get for free when I lived in Canada. Foxtel is an appalling service in comparison to basic cable in other countries. No wonder Aussies are driven towards torrents.

    I would be happy to pay small fees for services where I know the creators are getting the money, but I am appalled by the price-gouging against Australians by companies like itunes who dare charge us more even when our dollar is stronger, and they face no higher costs. Even DVDs are grossly overpriced here. Torrents provide timely, convenient service. The films are usually of great quality. And they have diverse, interesting content, and a back catalogue often better than what is offered by Foxtel, etc. (and certainly better than what is available at video rental places like Blockbusters, or at retailers). It is a lot like studios moaning over decreased attendance at movie theatres when they crank out formulaic crap, and a night out for a small family amounts to a small fortune.
  • Some Choice

    Be a cold day in hell before we continue to enrich Murdoch by buying any of his media products after his successful dishonest campaign to protect his cable network in destroying our long overdue communications fibre upgrade from the rotting copper that will continue costing the subscribers billions to operate & maintain.

    Apple? No thanks, we'll only pay for DRM free media in a useful format for all our devices.
  • Move to Germany

    I Pay in Germany 38 Euros($54) a month for 50 MBit (tested at that speed) internet by cable. Price includes 3 telephone numbers and for cable TV if I requested it on top is free. There is no talk about NBN cost every day as well its all there working fine.