AfterDawn: News

Sorry MPAA, Hollywood box office hits new highs despite piracy

Despite massive campaigns to inform the public of the dangers of piracy and its effect on the world economies,the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has posted on their website that 2007 saw new all-time highs for both domestic and global box office sales.

The MPAA's own data figures show that the global market grew almost 5 percent$26.6 billion USD, and the US market grew 5.4 percent to $9.6 billion USD.



“From the threat and eventual reality of a writer’s strike to the global impact of film theft to concerns over the economy, the film industry faced significant challenges in 2007,” stated Dan Glickman, Chairman and CEO of the MPAA. “But, ultimately, we got our Hollywood ending. Once again, diverse, quality films and the timeless allure of the movie house proved a winning combination with consumers around the world.”

According to recent studies by the Institute for Public Innovation, movie piracy costs the US economy $20.5 billion annually including revenue loss and “related measures of economic performance." The study goes as far as to say that the movie industry could have added 45,000 new jobs had it not been for piracy. Funny how BO sales can grow at a steady pace despite the fact that the economy is seeing a "$20.5 billion USD annual loss" right?

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 7 Mar 2008 14:24

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• 25 comments

• nobrainer

  Funny that the MPAA/RIAA keep being proved wrong about piracy destroying the industries while they continue to grow at ever increasing rates. Maybe they just want to lock up the web so they can once again be the gatekeepers of media locking out anyone that does not want to pay them most of the profits. MAFFIA to the end.
  
  boycott big media don't let them force more "High School Musical" and other talentless crap down our throats!
  

  The BPI Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI.
  
  The RIAA Soundexchange Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI.
  
  The IFPI Are: The same anti consumer lot as listed above!
  
  The MPAA Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, DISNEY, PARAMOUNT, FOX.
  
  How do you stop anti consumer = its easy purchase only second hand media and avoid their propertarian hobbled by DRM hardware! http://www.boycott-riaa.com/

  7.3.2008 14:58 #1

• emugamer

  Quote:The MPAA's own data figures show that the global market grew almost 5 percent$26.6 billion USD, and the US market grew 5.4 percent to $9.6 billion USD. But it could have grown more!!! Mwah ha ha ha.....[/sinister laugh]

  7.3.2008 16:26 #2

• spiesfan

  what else is new they complain about a non existent problem
  
  wait for them to claim that inflation caused the rise

  7.3.2008 18:10 #3

• ikari

  Quote:Dan Glickman, Chairman and CEO of the MPAA. “But, ultimately, we got our Hollywood ending. Once again, diverse, quality films and the timeless allure of the movie house proved a winning combination with consumers around the world.”
  He must be watching different films. I didn't see many diverse and quality in any of the films last year.

  7.3.2008 18:14 #4

• sgriesch

  He must be watching different films. I didn't see many diverse and quality in any of the films last year.I'm with you. I didn't see many great movies either. Though I tried, there wasn't much to choose from.
  Piracy in their eyes is whatever number that they want to claim as a loss for the year, so that can say it's a problem. If they didn't do it, then the government officials couldn't back them up, and then it would be even more obvious that the MPAA pays Congress to protect their interests. By making the statement, it's just their way of putting out a complaint so that Congress has to "fix" it. After all, we are all in a recession, right? And we all know how little the MPAA makes. :-(

  7.3.2008 18:45 #5

• Pop_Smith

  Originally posted by emugamer: Quote:The MPAA's own data figures show that the global market grew almost 5 percent$26.6 billion USD, and the US market grew 5.4 percent to $9.6 billion USD. But it could have grown more!!! Mwah ha ha ha.....[/sinister laugh]Ha ha, that had me laughing for 5 minutes straight. :P
  
  On topic though, just wait until the MPAA/RIAA claims that if it wasn't for Piracy the U.S. wouldn't have started going into a recession.
  
  Peace

  7.3.2008 19:09 #6

• spiesfan

  Quote:Originally posted by emugamer: Quote:The MPAA's own data figures show that the global market grew almost 5 percent$26.6 billion USD, and the US market grew 5.4 percent to $9.6 billion USD. But it could have grown more!!! Mwah ha ha ha.....[/sinister laugh]Ha ha, that had me laughing for 5 minutes straight. :P
  
  On topic though, just wait until the MPAA/RIAA claims that if it wasn't for Piracy the U.S. wouldn't have started going into a recession.
  
  PeaceI must now sue you for pirating my idea about the economy :)

  7.3.2008 19:38 #7

• iluvendo

  Originally posted by spiesfan: what else is new they complain about a non existent problem
  
  wait for them to claim that inflation caused the rise
  But they will say that they sold fewer tickets at higher prices (inflation and cost of living) therefore they made less.

  7.3.2008 23:01 #8

• SamNz

  Do they ever think that most people that download movies are NOT going to go see it at the movies anyway, they just want to see it

  7.3.2008 23:59 #9

• Blackjax

  Ah come on didn't you run right out to see "There will be Blood"?!
  
  Originally posted by sgriesch: He must be watching different films. I didn't see many diverse and quality in any of the films last year.I'm with you. I didn't see many great movies either. Though I tried, there wasn't much to choose from.
  
  That's the understatement of the year!
  
  Piracy in their eyes is whatever number that they want to claim as a loss for the year, so that can say it's a problem. If they didn't do it, then the government officials couldn't back them up, and then it would be even more obvious that the MPAA pays Congress to protect their interests. By making the statement, it's just their way of putting out a complaint so that Congress has to "fix" it. After all, we are all in a recession, right? And we all know how little the MPAA makes. :-(You kidding right?....
  I think almost everyone knows the politicians have their hands out. It's just a little thing called a "lobbyist". In other words let me make a "campaign contribution" to you since you were so wise in our right to steal err......seeing our side of this _____________. (insert B.S. issue excuse)

  8.3.2008 00:09 #10

• snowlock

  Quote:"Once again, diverse, quality films and the timeless allure of the movie house proved a winning combination with consumers around the world.”
  so the piracy is still just as harmful to sales,
  but since the filmmakers once again created various masterpieces
  the movies themselves sold so much it made up for it and more.
  
  
  baloney.
  
  
  the same kinds of crap movies they've always made,
  and no higher frequency of actual good films.
  
  they've proved themselves wrong.

  8.3.2008 04:32 #11

• NexGen76

  It don't matter how many Box Office Records they break that still don't justify piracy.Piracy is stealing period i don't know why some of you think because B.O. is making money that makes piracy okay.How would you feel if somebody stole your movie? All you that support these activity's just remember why DRM is here.

  8.3.2008 09:24 #12

• joe777

  ^^^ Who let the troll in. You sound like a drugs dealer. Go and pedal your nonsense somewhere else, and by the way DRM created by who? and for what??????? Don't suppose theres any coffee you can smell when you wake-up eh!!!!!
  There is 1 word that sums it all up for me and its nothing to do with fair-play or piracy, good movies or bad movies, it's simply a form of "CONTROL"

  8.3.2008 10:44 #13

• WierdName

  You're all missing the larger issue here. If the box office is doing that good even with piracy, that can only mean one thing: OVERPOPULATION! I wonder how long it will be before it becomes the determining factor in the elections...

  8.3.2008 15:13 #14

• NexGen76

  Originally posted by joe777: ^^^ Who let the troll in. You sound like a drugs dealer. Go and pedal your nonsense somewhere else, and by the way DRM created by who? and for what??????? Don't suppose theres any coffee you can smell when you wake-up eh!!!!!
  There is 1 word that sums it all up for me and its nothing to do with fair-play or piracy, good movies or bad movies, it's simply a form of "CONTROL"I'm sorry you don't have the common sense to know right from wrong.But don't worry the MPAA will let you know if your doing so or your local police.That form of control you speak of is because people are stealing things that don't belong to them @ a alerting rate(Hint: Record industry was killed by piracy).Whats wrong with people doing some research before you buy,rent,or go to the movies.This form of control you speak of is a myth & a poor excuse for consumers not being a responsible consumer.That is the big picture people try to over look.

  8.3.2008 15:28 #15

• nobrainer

  @ NexGen76
  
  you know why drm is used its to control media, lock it to 1 device and enable price fixing.
  
  @ joe777
  
  nextgen is pro sony pro DRM and anti fair use.
  
  he is one of those ppl that believe if you are doing nothing wrong you have nothing to worry about. you know the sort like
  
  Originally posted by Professor Peter Gutmann: Jack Valenti, former head of the MPAA, put it, “If you buy a DVD you have a copy. If you want a backup copy you buy another one”). It's obvious why this type of business model makes the pain of pushing content protection onto consumers so worthwhile since it practically constitutes a license to print money.
  nextgens fair use = you have to purchase multiple copies, with NO format or time shifting as it effects multiple sales to an individual in this globalist world the corporations believe you have to purchase the same media over and over again and this is nextgens belief also.
  

  The BPI Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI.
  
  The RIAA Soundexchange Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI.
  
  The IFPI Are: The same anti consumer lot as listed above!
  
  The MPAA Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, DISNEY, PARAMOUNT, FOX.
  
  How do you stop anti consumer = its easy purchase only second hand media and avoid their propertarian hobbled by DRM hardware! http://www.boycott-riaa.com/

  8.3.2008 16:44 #16

• 7thsinger

  Originally posted by WierdName: You're all missing the larger issue here. If the box office is doing that good even with piracy, that can only mean one thing: OVERPOPULATION! I wonder how long it will be before it becomes the determining factor in the elections...Lol.
  
  I'm with you there.

  8.3.2008 17:18 #17

• defgod

  I believe NexGen76's problem is.
  
  A. he is old school
  
  B. he makes enough money to go out and buy everything at the unbelievably high prices. Set forth by the greedy studios.
  
  I for one (I believe many others believe the same way)don't believe in paying the amount of money for movies,music, and games. That is set by the media giants. Just to line their pockets with even more money. Just for the record the record industry wasn't killed by piracy. It was killed by the industry itself not changing their antiquated business models. And piracy doesn't have as much affect on the media industry as the likes of M.P.A.A.and R.I.A.A. say. At least not the way Myself and many other people do it. Yea the ones that copy it and sell it. Passing it off as original. Should be punished. But those of us that share it. Either as a torrent or on sites like the now shutdown Stage6 Divx or Veoh. Just for example. And the people that are saying now that things are in a digital format. They need to be more protected are the dumbest F**KS I've seen. The amount of cassette tapes that were copied in the 80's. Even The amount of video tapes that were copied. are no different that the CD's or DVD's now.
  
  I have a substantial collection of commercial DVD's and CD's. If I don't have the right to back-up any media I buy then what is the use for buying it. (just to watch it deteriorate as I use it over and over every time) But I've also downloaded more movies than anyone I know. I try to download one new movie every day. Whether it be a new release or a few years old. Most of them are ones that I wouldn't waste my money to go to the movies and watch. But they are at least decent enough to watch at this time of year. Or when there is absolutely nothing to watch on television. Most so-called pirates are the people that either can't or won't pay to see stuff in the theater.

  9.3.2008 01:04 #18

• fall3nbox

  nobody under stands how many tv shows where stolen with the good old VCR. are you saying thats not piracy because it sure seems like it to me. and everyone and their mom recorded Cassette tapes in the 80s and into the 90s, making their own mix tapes off the radio or a album. this has been going on longer then most people would like to admit, you cant control everyone. you will just end up with anarchy.

  10.3.2008 06:37 #19

• snowlock

  Originally posted by NexGen76: ...(Hint: Record industry was killed by piracy).Whats wrong with people doing some research before you buy,rent,or go to the movies...
  the record industry (not dead at all) has done itself in.
  how many people do you know who own mp3 players?
  they're all dying to fill those up,
  but the music industry doesn't like that format.
  that's the only reason you can't go fill one up
  at a big box electronics store, or a music store.
  
  while you're at it, you've proven yourself wrong.
  if i want to do research on a piece of media i think
  might be worth the ridiculous up-charge placed on it
  by its respective industry madmen, i download it.
  there's no easier way; critics have no idea what i like.
  except for watching tv and going to the movies,
  that's the only way i've found anything at all
  worth buying in the past 6-8 years.
  
  
  
  i don't buy cd's distributed by riaa members;
  the fm radio is now useless for music because of them.
  their artists get paid a pittance from the near US$20 charged.
  when an independent artist makes a disc,
  they often sell it themselves for $10;
  the sound quality is, many times, the same as big releases,
  because of how cheap it is to have software that does it.
  
  i don't pay more than $8 for a single dvd;
  if i can buy a movie that won 5 oscars for $7.50,
  no movie is worth any more than that.
  new releases aren't worth the hype, so i wait.

  10.3.2008 08:36 #20

• hughjars

  LMAO
  
  The lying liars get caught out lying, again.
  
  We're obviously not 'getting' this people!
  
  Cue a torrent (lol) of lurid tales about 'pirates', child porn & terrorism.

  10.3.2008 11:09 #21

• sgriesch

  Quote:Ah come on didn't you run right out to see "There will be Blood"?!
  
  Originally posted by sgriesch: He must be watching different films. I didn't see many diverse and quality in any of the films last year.I'm with you. I didn't see many great movies either. Though I tried, there wasn't much to choose from.
  
  That's the understatement of the year!
  
  Piracy in their eyes is whatever number that they want to claim as a loss for the year, so that can say it's a problem. If they didn't do it, then the government officials couldn't back them up, and then it would be even more obvious that the MPAA pays Congress to protect their interests. By making the statement, it's just their way of putting out a complaint so that Congress has to "fix" it. After all, we are all in a recession, right? And we all know how little the MPAA makes. :-(You kidding right?....
  I think almost everyone knows the politicians have their hands out. It's just a little thing called a "lobbyist". In other words let me make a "campaign contribution" to you since you were so wise in our right to steal err......seeing our side of this _____________. (insert B.S. issue excuse)Yes, that was my point. MPAA makes the claim of theft. It's a widespread problem blah, blah, blah. Congress has to step in and "fix" it, because it is making the MPAA supposedly broke. The MPAA contributes lots of money to the congressman's "fundraising" efforts, because they are helping the MPAA to make more money by curbing piracy (ha huh BS).

  10.3.2008 19:58 #22

• dufas

  @ NexGen76
  
  I'm sorry you don't have the common sense to know right from wrong.But don't worry the MPAA will let you know if your doing so or your local police.That form of control you speak of is because people are stealing things that don't belong to them @ a alerting rate(Hint: Record industry was killed by piracy).Whats wrong with people doing some research before you buy,rent,or go to the movies.This form of control you speak of is a myth & a poor excuse for consumers not being a responsible consumer.That is the big picture people try to over look.In the early days of movie making, the studios were located on the east coast. These studios operated just as if they were the Mafia. One could not make or show a movie without going through one of the studios. Those that tried were severely taken care of. Indipendant tried but were soon put out of business. Theaters were ransacked or burnt to the ground because they didn't pay the studio's distribution system a piece of the action. If the Mob was to do this, it would have been called 'The protection racket' and the FBI would have been all over them in a second.
  
  In an effort to get out from under the 'studio rule' and get out of paying royalty payments to Thomas Edison, the inventor of the movie, a small group of actors and behind the scenes people settled in a small town in California, Hollywoodland, which later become known as Hollywood.
  
  Things went well for a while for these Hollywoodland production companies until the East coast movie makers came west and the iron hand of the studio's grip began again.
  
  A group of actors, producers, and directors broke away from the "studio system' and formed their own studio, United Artists. This studio did not last long under independent ownership due to underhanded maneuvers and blackballing by those in the studio system. United Artist brand name was soon taken over.
  
  Today, although it can be done, it is still difficult for a small studio to get a film distributed. Most times, even to get a film made is an exercise in futility. Most Indie films still end up with some major studio's name somewhere in the credits even though the major studio had nothing more to do with the film than taking over distribution....
  
  Hollywood owes it's existence to talented crooks and today, nothing has changed.
  
  Maybe you should do a little research yourself.

  14.3.2008 12:17 #23

• avoidz

  The MPAA is so full of it.

  15.3.2008 01:43 #24

• WierdName

  Originally posted by avoidz: The MPAA is so full of it.Ladies and gentlemen, the understatement of the year (no offense intended).

  15.3.2008 23:02 #25