AfterDawn: Tech news

Fall television pilots reach P2P early

Written by Rich Fiscus @ 30 Jul 2007 5:27 User comments (17)

Fall television pilots reach P2P early Copies of NBC’s “Bionic Woman,” ABC’s “Pushing Daisies,” The CW’s “Reaper” and several other shows were available Friday for illegal download via sites such as torrent Spy, The Pirate Bay and Mininova.
Most of the titles appear to have been uploaded within the past week. The first copy of “Bionic” was listed as uploaded two days ago, while the earliest “Reaper” file was date-marked seven days ago. Other leaked shows include Fox’s midseason “The Terminator” spin-off “The Sarah Connor Chronicles,” ABC’s “Cavemen,” and NBC’s “Chuck” and “Lipstick Jungle.”

TelevisionWeek downloaded and confirmed the content of several pilot files. The videos were of reasonably high quality, akin to the Streaming programs on broadcast network Web sites.

“This baby is real and nice quality,” one user posted about "Connor" on Pirate Bay. “Wish I could say more about the content, but there is potential.”



“We’re doing everything we can to fight piracy,” said one major studio representative who declined to be identified. “Our piracy department is playing whack-a-mole with these things.”

In recent years, some networks have begun to distribute premiere episodes online in advance of their debuts. Such promotional previews are often carefully timed to hit right before the regular broadcast of the show. Also, network previews are typically streamed via the network’s own Web site, or through other controlled environments such as popular portal and business partners like AOL or MSN.

Source: TVWeek

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17 user comments

130.7.2007 17:34

with the MPAA watching all IPs to be sure and ban life to some people 0-o

230.7.2007 18:48

I have to chuckle a little. I heard about this on the news and then read it here. I clicked, mainly to see if any of the shows were worth the download.
Of course, they all sound pretty stupid so I'll be passing on them.

A sitcom based on the Caveman commercial? Give me an effing break.

330.7.2007 19:20

You don't think that this is all part of the networks plan to get their shows out early ?

430.7.2007 19:34

Originally posted by ydkjman:
You don't think that this is all part of the networks plan to get their shows out early ?
it could be a double edged plan go after anyone uploading the data from their downlaoders while everyone and their cave dwling net crazed cousins thats these shows are out.

530.7.2007 19:45

So what's the big deal? The way I see it, people will decide whether to tune into next week's show. How many of these programs get huge ratings for the first show (or pilot) because of the hype, and then flat-out bomb?

630.7.2007 20:23

thanks for the news. im lookin for these shows now :-D

730.7.2007 20:26

This seems like an inside job. How else does this stuff get leaked so early? This probably is a conspiracy just to get an early public reaction to the shows.

830.7.2007 21:09

they need to get a fuckin life

930.7.2007 21:46

http://www.rlslog.net/reaper-s01e00-pilot-dvdscr-xvid-thecw/

Pretty full list of the pilots/pre-releases which have popped up so far.

This is no accident. Publicity stunt for sure.

1031.7.2007 04:29

This seems to happen every year, and I think it is a great idea. The Fall TV season is crowded with new shows, and the early leaks give them a chance to have their show seen first. It sounds smart to me.
It's comments from people like tucker001 that bother me. If you don't have a real contribution then please don't clutter up the boards with that nonsense.
Ans to ThePastor: Cavemen does sound ridiculous, but check out Pushing Daisies and Reaper. They stand out and should turn into great shows.

1131.7.2007 10:38

I have 3 kids, a wife and a dog.
I have no time to watch TV when the shows are on TV.
Downloading fits my life schedule much better. I usually wait until its been on TV first to get a good rip.

The one Main problem i see is the Neslson Rating system. There is so much more media type distribution now, that they cannot really use cable TV to rate what shows should be cancelled. Invasion last year is a prime example. An excellent show - cancelled due to low ratings.

If everyone downloads, switches to a dish or views the program via an alternate method, how are the studio's really going to know what people like and don't.

The rating system has to change. I wouldn't know what to suggest or how to do it, but as more people get away from standard TV, i think we are going to loose some good shows.

any thoughts ?

1231.7.2007 14:07
duckNrun
Inactive

DVR data aggregates can show what people are recording, what they are actually watching, what they are watching in full, what commercials people skip, what commercials people watch. From download and P2P sites data can be accumalated to show what people are downloading, not neccesarily watching, but most people who download somet prob watch it lol.

There was an article in here about Tivo doing this and people screamed about spyware and loss of privacy.

However all these methods do not bother me as long as personally identifiable information is not gathered.

The problen with Nielson is that only those nielson families can set the agenda. Many people don't have the time or inclination to participate. By tapping into the DVR markets and downloaders it provides much better numbers which should democratize the tv line-up.

Now some of you may scream spyware, privacy etc about this but again..if my cable company provides only the numbers of viewers on a show and not names, addys, tiers, other services, emails, costs etc etc then there should be no problem to this.

1331.7.2007 18:35

Ok, I'll take a look at those series's you mention but I'm not very hopeful.
This thread (and other conversations) has led me to examine my own viewing practices with a critical eye and I have to say that I tend to wait until a show hits reruns before I invest any time at all at watching it.
I couldn't stand Friends as a weekly show, but in reruns it is occasionally funny and entertaining.
There is no way I could ever get involved in something like "Lost" or "Desperate Housewives", two, very popular shows, but if they were released as reruns or downloads I might be more inclined to give them a try.
I'm not about to spend money on a DVD season for most of the crap that is out there now.

And, while we're on the subject... when will this industry get off of this "Reality TV" kick? Is our country that gullible?
Any sane person can see right through this crap. Basically the industry is tired of paying real money to real talent so they pay "lottery" money (which is FAR LESS than what a real actor gets paid, because he's a PROFESSIONAL) to starry eyed, gullible people.

There's been a few good things that have come out over the past few years, but not many. House, 24, Heroes, Jerico, and maybe a few others I failed to mention, but by and large the TV industry is filled with crapola on top of crapola.

Maybe this whole thing is their way of test marketing their crap to see how many losers will view their crap this year.

What ever happened to the good old days of "Mork and Mindy"??? LOL

141.8.2007 05:26
duckNrun
Inactive

They deteriorated into the episodes where Jonathon Winters was brought on as their 'old man' baby lol

151.8.2007 19:19

The TV companies should see this as a bonus if thry have been uplaoded to the net. They should visit the torrent sites and see the success rate of the new shows and then they can gage how popular a show will be on free to air or cable.

165.8.2007 12:55

Originally posted by Unfocused:
This seems like an inside job. How else does this stuff get leaked so early? This probably is a conspiracy just to get an early public reaction to the shows.
I agree this is a ploy so they know if the show will last and the bionic woman looks awesome and I hope the network reads this because if the writing is good like heroes it will be a winner and its just about the right time too try another bionic since Jake 2.0 went into the tubes liked they wanted.

I say that because they brought in lee majors and Bam it was canceled hello .
Well getting reaper, it looks like a cheap knock off of "Dead Like Me".

I don't sell them so why is it illegal again too download if they are on here if you a mass amount of stuff you downlo0ad and sell then thats what they are after.

1714.8.2007 17:01

Downloading a TV show is just another by product of the technological revolution. According to mine and many other users posts, watching a reduced quality DL'd show is a lot more convenient then being around for the original airing on TV. With many of these shows, they don't re-air them.

Then, you have shows like Lost that are damn near impossible to understand as it is, but if you miss an episode, forget it.

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