Pirated DVD Crackdown Claims Nine
In China, we have video stores similar to the ones everywhere in the world. You get the itch to watch a movie, you walk to one of these stores, you go in, browse the titles, choose the one you like, go home, make some popcorn and watch. However, in China it’s different. Instead of paying four dollars, as you do at Blockbuster, you pay one. And for your buck, you don’t rent the film, you buy it. And instead of getting an authentic film, you get a pirated version. While I am aware this is illegal, this is the norm in China. When most people think of fake DVDs, they think of a man with a suitcase on the street ready to run at the sight of a cop. However, in Shanghai and elsewhere in China, the government leases retail space, sometimes valuable real estate, to the peddlers of these pirated movies. In July of last year, responding to international pressure to tighten the reins on piracy, the Chinese government initiated a new stricter policy. Beijing authorized mandatory minimum sentencing and fines for movie pirates and began dedicating resources to fighting this black-market industry. The China Daily reported that Thursday, nine Chinese have been jailed for selling illegal DVDs, CDs and software. Four of whom, who mass-produced the material, were sentenced to 13 years. Last month, in the biggest-ever seizure of pirated material, the Chinese government confiscated 13 million discs. It seems odd that while Chinese DVD sellers are being imprisoned for piracy, the stores on pretty much every Shanghai block are left alone. While some Chinese guy is doing hard time, I am waiting for my Woody Allen box set to come in. The guy says it’ll be any day now. It appears these grand displays of justice by the Chinese government are merely to appease the U.S., Australia, Microsoft and other groups that have demanded China put an end to the mass piracy of copyrighted material. If authorities actually cared about ending piracy, why not start by closing down these fake movie stores? I think I know why. Maybe, like me, they enjoy going home after work (today) and popping in the complete first season of “Reno 911″ ($4). Or maybe while nursing a nasty hangover (last Saturday), they want nothing more than to stay in bed and watch the entire “Back to the Future” trilogy ($2.50). Or possibly, the Chinese officials, when they heard of the cancellation of the Shanghai Jay-Z concert, they too lamented by watching the “Fade to Black” concert from Madison Square Garden (65ยข).