HBO has new plan to tackle the 'Game of Thrones' piracy problem (of the Internet kind, not the ship kind, which assume can be tackled with an ample supply of Wildfire)
'Game of Thrones' holds the ignominious record of being one of the most pirated TV shows of 2012, but HBO executives have new plan for the upcoming 2013 season to stem the flow of illegal downloads.
The popular series, which draws 3.8 million viewers per week, may be downloaded as much as 4.2 million times around the world, with piracy rates particularly high in countries like Australia.
Commentators at the time pointed out that delayed showings outside of the U.S., and the general difficulty in obtaining the show digitally, and legally, in the U.S. (for non HBO subscribers), all contributed in making 'Game of Thrones' the 'King of Piracy'.
And for this season, which will premier at the end of March, HBO has signaled their intention to fix some of these issues, by ensuring minimal delay between the original U.S. airing and international airings.
"We think the key to combating piracy is to make content like Game of Thrones available worldwide within the smallest window possible ... to 176 territories within the week of the U.S. premiere," explained Jeff Cusson, HBO’s senior vice president of corporate affairs.
This includes the launch of the "HBO Go" app to selected locations internationally, to allow subscribers digital streaming access to the latest episodes without delay.
The cast and crew of the hit show have recently expressed concern that the high piracy rate may impact on the available funding the show receives, but recognized that the success of the show is what is driving the piracy, and this can be interpreted as a badge of honor, of sorts.
Home
