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CBS links to torrents on "Pirate Master" homepage

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 23 Jun 2007 8:15 User comments (9)

CBS links to torrents on "Pirate Master" homepage On the homepage of their new reality show "Pirate Master", CBS has been linking to .torrent files from several public and private torrent tracker sites. This may be useful if you have missed the latest broadcast, but it is also illegal, as in many countries it is copyright infringement to download TV shows.
The article image is directly taken from the Pirate Master homepage (courtesy of TF). The homepage is supposed to list news items about the show from blogs but it is instead showing torrent links from sites such as Mininova, bitDig and even private trackers such as Torrentleech.

Although it is unlikely that CBS is purposely linking to the files, they are most likely using an RSS feed aggregator that includes torrent trackers.

There is the chance however, that CBS has decided on purposely linking to the trackers. In April, CBS’s chief research officer David Poltrac spoke out about how YouTube and BitTorrent should be considered friends and not foes. He based his sentiments on a CBS poll that showed that people who download TV shows actually watch more TV.



Poltrack is also a believer in free TV over the internet, supported by ads. In his own words, “if [consumers] are going to steal it, give it to them anyway. But also make it easier to access and present it better than YouTube or BitTorrent or anywhere else.”

Source:
TorrentFreak

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9 user comments

123.6.2007 09:53

David Poltrac for president!

223.6.2007 11:00

Quote:
Poltrack is also a believer in free TV over the internet, supported by ads. In his own words, “if [consumers] are going to steal it, give it to them anyway. But also make it easier to access and present it better than YouTube or BitTorrent or anywhere else.”
Amen.

Update: I just had a peek at the website and it appears to just be a "Bot" that crawls the web and posts up links to anything containing the word "Pirate". This very article was the first listed link on the site about two minutes ago.
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 23 Jun 2007 @ 11:04

323.6.2007 11:01

The show is called Pirate Master after all...

;)

423.6.2007 14:53

I agree, though i do not live in USA, its nice to hear that something like is happening on the other side of the world :)

523.6.2007 17:49

Quote:
David Poltrac spoke out about how YouTube and BitTorrent should be considered friends and not foes.
Bravo mate. At least this guys has the vision of how to use the new technology to help increase viewers of new media and shows.

619.7.2007 21:03

Visionary if nothing else.

712.8.2007 17:44

Downloaded definatly equals more TV viewing. This is just another way for people to timeshift their viewing.

813.8.2007 03:57

I am also a believer in free TV over the internet, NOT supported by ads. If sites start adding in commercials in the watchable TV content, then they will loose me as a viewer and I will resort to piracy. The reason I watch TV on the internet is no commercials.

913.8.2007 08:03
emugamer
Inactive

One thing not mentioned is the loss in TV box set sales. Yeah, free tv means people are more inclined to watch, but then you have the ability to record episodes, which means you are less inclined to buy the overpriced box set of the season. So you don't have revenue from commercials and you lose money on the DVD's. And then you eventually have ISP's getting ticked off because they haven't invested in the pipes to stream the video media demand. This whole system is screwed up.

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