Aussie ‘Doctor Who’ Fans Set to Time Travel With BitTorrent
Written by enigmax on December 24, 2008Australia has been the focus of much tech news recently, as the country struggles with its Internet piracy ‘problem’. Thanks to the infinite wisdom of ABC, Aussie Doctor Who fans are left with a tough decision – wait until mid-January to watch the show’s pivotal ‘Christmas Special’ – or pirate it with BitTorrent.
The number of people downloading TV shows via BitTorrent is growing. Our ‘Top 10 Most Pirated TV-Shows of 2008′ list reveals that some shows are amassing downloads in their millions and this will only increase.
Whereas some people may download a movie to avoid the cost, TV shows offer something different. People are generally able to watch these shows for free on regular TV, but still, due to superior convenience and greater availability, those same people choose to get their fix from BitTorrent instead.
In Australia right now, online piracy is a hot topic, with anti-piracy outfits going as far as trying to hold ISPs accountable for the infringing actions of their customers, and the ‘firewall’ of Australia threatening to target BitTorrent. But when it comes to deterring piracy it seems the big studios are blind to some of the small things they can do to make the situation better, instead of continually going to war with pirates – a war they simply cannot win.
The TV show Doctor Who, like many shows, has a ‘Christmas Special’. This episode, unsurprisingly, will air Christmas Day on the BBC in the UK. In it the Doctor will have one of his trademark re-incarnations, a very important event for fans of the series. The problem for Australian viewers is simple – ABC who have the rights to the show think that Christmas Day falls on January 25th 2009 down-under, as this is the date it will air there, officially at least.
But of course, Doctor Who fans know about BitTorrent, the show has appeared in our most pirated TV show lists and was even subject to a major ‘leak‘ of its own.
Thanks to ABC’s short-sightedness, thousands of Australians will pirate this episode of their favorite show just minutes after it finishes airing in the UK and a month ahead of its official launch. It’s not just The Doctor who is capable of time-traveling these days.
Previously: Top 10 Most Pirated TV-Shows of 2008
Next: RIAA’s Happy Holidays eCard
47 Responses
ABC don't really care – it's a public station, so no profit in it for them!
The Doctor is not having a "trademark re-incarnation" in this Christmas special. The episode is called "The Next Doctor," but this is just a makreting gimmick. The episode features David Morissey as a man who thinks he is a Time Lord. David Morissey has said that he is not taking over the role. David Tennant has said that he will do four specials as the 10th Doctor. We will not see an 11th Doctor until 2010.
/me starts counting doctors,
actually tenant has gone on record he will not retirn for the 5th seasons but will do those 4 more eps to take you to the 11th doctor see wiki for more relevant information
Whilst I agree in general terms with the article's content I think you have made a mistake in that it wasn't the ABC's choice to air the episode so late after Christmas but rather contractual arrangemenst whereby the BBC wouldn't allow them to air the episode before then.
And as already pointed out, calling this a "pivotal episode" is a very bad description as it's a special.
Yeah I live in oz too and i can tell you the FTA channels are a complete joke. Crappy reality/game shows bombard us every day in primetime tv and all the quality shows are left til 11:30 at night (24, Alias ETC) Not only that but the channels remove shows without any notice and if a new show doesnt get enough ratings after one airing it gets cancelled. I know stargate fans in oz get really annoyed coz it keeps coming on and off on tv lol. Australias also realllly far behind tv series as well – bottom line is if you're a fan of a show dont rely on tv – the internet is the way to go B) Too bad all the execs are deaf dumb and blind to this fact
So, does everyone who downloads or uploads this TV show before January 15 count as a "pre-releaser" who should get a 2 year suspended sentence? That is, of course, what the industry wants you to think. It has, in fact, happened before:
http://torrentfreak.com/wanted-p2p-pre-release-su...
"I'm a big Doctor Who fan …And i dont like watching tv series on tv anyways, annoying commercials…bittorrent is so much more convenient, watch what i want, when i want and without adds. I pay about 220€ (300USD) a year for my tv permit so i can legally watch tv, so i think im not even breaking any laws by downloading and watching everything i want."
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a true fan would actually support the creators whose work he admires not just leech off them. as for paying your cable bill entitling you to download whatever shows you want ad free…that doesn't make any sense. you might as well say if i buy a dvd player any dvd's i want thereafter should be free. if i buy a playstation, sony should provide me with all the games that come out for it…for free. if i buy a stove, my groceries should be delivered to the door…for free.
doesn't make sense.
"I pay about 220€ (300USD) a year for my tv permit so i can legally watch tv, so i think im not even breaking any laws by downloading and watching everything i want."
Thinking you are not breaking the law and committing acts that break the law are two entirely different things. I understand the thrust of your argument though: that your effectively paying for the content in any case but this has nothing to do with legality.
"a true fan would actually support the creators whose work he admires not just leech off them."
Whether he/she loves the show has precisely zero to do with whether he/she pays for it or not.
I wouldn’t be able to live in the Australia if it weren’t for my internet connection. TV is absolutely shit compared to the stuff they get in Great Britain.
haha, you gotta love when you shove it in there face.. OH I DOWNLOADED IT BITCH, WHAT NOW?
Owned yourself, just hit yourself in the face for being so pathetic.. its going to be downloaded without commercials and you will loose TONS BECAUSE YOUR THAT BIG OF A MORON. ahahahh epic fail, stop breathing your useless.
We get this in the G.B with programs like SGA which I download regulary and even though I have every SGA and SG-1 eppisode I still watch it when it pops up on Sky 1.
Problem….What problem?
"a true fan would actually support the creators whose work he admires not just leech off them"
Are you braindead or something? If i watch the episodes on tv or not im not giving even one dime to the creators of the series. The tv station has paid for the show and my wathing it wouldn't make them pay any more. As for the ads in the shows, Dr Who is on a ad free tv station that is paid for by the tv permit so nobody loses anything if i watch it on tv or download it.
In finland everyone that has a tv or a digitv receiver that can receive tv signal has to pay a tv permit, so its not a cable bill.
Why not just use a UK proxy and use the BBC's own iPlayer to watch it streaming?
"TONS BECAUSE YOUR THAT BIG OF A MORON. ahahahh epic fail, stop breathing your useless. "
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"you're"
err, ahaha, its on a commercial free station, so perhaps there will be no commercials.
epic fail perhaps for you. and i didnt even need any captials.
"a true fan would actually support the creators whose work he admires not just leech off them."
Those "leechers" sure sound like the MAFIAA.
"as for paying your cable bill entitling you to download whatever shows you want ad free…that doesn't make any sense. you might as well say if i buy a dvd player any dvd's i want thereafter should be free. if i buy a playstation, sony should provide me with all the games that come out for it…for free. if i buy a stove, my groceries should be delivered to the door…for free."
Actually, your analogy doesn't make sense. The cable bill pays for all of the TV Shows. It would be a more appropriate analogy to say buying a playstation, and then paying for a service that gains access to all games (i. e. the analogy of the cable bill).
"a true fan would actually support the creators whose work he admires not just leech off them."
Those "leechers" sure sound like the MAFIAA. Also, the MAFIAA is leaving nobody with any alternative other than BitTorrent, so the idea that they are "losing" anything is ridiculous.
"as for paying your cable bill entitling you to download whatever shows you want ad free…that doesn't make any sense. you might as well say if i buy a dvd player any dvd's i want thereafter should be free. if i buy a playstation, sony should provide me with all the games that come out for it…for free. if i buy a stove, my groceries should be delivered to the door…for free."
Actually, your analogy doesn't make sense. The cable bill pays for all of the TV Shows. It would be a more appropriate analogy to say buying a playstation, and then paying for a service that gains access to all games (i. e. the analogy of the cable bill).
the creators do see the money, because if everyone downloads the episodes, then no-one will be watching the tv when it airs, which means it wont get the ratings it needs to stay on, which means the tv station will drop the show in favour of a higher rating show.
Either you are idiots, one step thinkers, or just trying rationalise illegal downloads.
You might as well just start ranting about freedom of information and it really belongs to everyone blah blah blah.
If you're going to argue illegal downloading… at least come up with something with some substance.
And as for commercials….I've never seen an in-show ABC commercial.
Wait the extra 2 weeks and go watch the dvds and pick up all the things you were too stupid to understand the first time round.
Exactly why downloading TV shows should not be a crime. If we're paying cable bills to watch the exact same shows (even if they are being aired at a different time), why shouldn't we be able to watch them at our convenience?
But when it comes to deterring piracy it seems the big studios are blind to some of the small things they can do to make the situation better, instead of continually going to war with pirates – a war they simply cannot win.
Nice writing there enigmax & thanks for the article
I'll be watching this at the right time =0)
I dont live in australia but going to dl that christmas special as soon as i can find it after it airs. I'm a big Doctor Who fan but the only way i can watch the series is via bittorrent because finnish tv is atleast a year behind with the series and the specials come out probaply a year late aswell. And i dont like watching tv series on tv anyways, annoying commercials and stupid airing times, no thanks, bittorrent is so much more convenient, watch what i want, when i want and without adds. I pay about 220€ (300USD) a year for my tv permit so i can legally watch tv, so i think im not even breaking any laws by downloading and watching everything i want.
Doctor Who's executive producer, Russell T Davies, has said I think that soon it will be common practice for significant (or keenly awaited) shows to be screened at the same time throughout the world. This would generally be a good thing.
In the case of Doctor Who and Australia, it would not be appropriate for an episode to be screened here before Britain. Which means it can't be shown on Christmas eve or Christmas day. But Boxing Day would be appropriate.
Actually January is a great result. The previous specials have been held till the ABC was ready to show the following series, in May or June.
If NubCakes is right, the ABC couldn't show it earlier because of the deal offered by the BBC. Perhaps this will be better in future (if Russell T Davies is right).
I will wait until the episode is screened here. If illegal downloading becomes common shows like this aren't going to get made. If broadcasters find there isn't an audience to warch because they've already seen something on line they won't buy it. If producers can't sell a show to overseas broadcasters to recoup their costs they won't make it. Or at least they will have to reduce costs and make a cheaper version.
"at least come up with something with some substance. "
That's because you are ignoring the substance. Moreover, why watch TV in the first place? The TV has no flexibility at all. Downloading creates flexibility. If it is based on the ratings, then that is just the dinosaur method of doing it: bound to go extinct.
The idea that any small group of people can create such forced inconveniences for people, when it could easily have been otherwise, is ridiculous itself. When anybody is in control like that, it can always be abused: because if they wish, they can delay it as long as possible, or not even release it in another country. Copyright gives the power to do so, and as long as there is such a power, it can always be abused like that.
Moreover, the idea that anyone should be forced to have something inferior (i. e. two weeks delayed) just because the creator said so is ridiculous. If they fail to provide something good, and what is "illegal" people have done better, then it is their fault.
Also, "freedom of information" and "it really belongs to everybody" is also substantial. TV shows are abstract ideas, just data. To claim control over an idea or thought, and enforcing it is tantamount to thought police.
Now go get another job, hired industry advocate.
"Intellectual property (IP), the labors of the mind, productions and interests are as much a man's own…as the wheat he cultivates, or the flocks he rears." – justice Charles L. Woodbury, 1845
The only reason why people would not want to see it on television is because television is inferior by its nature. It does not give people choice, whereas downloading does. The idea that people should watch shows on television to support shows is itself stupid, since television is also.
Indeed, that is why plagiarism is bad: because it is fraud. After all, to claim that one has cultivated wheat or reared some flock that one really has not, is just fraud.
Now, suppose that someone cultivates some wheat, or rears some flocks. This person has the right to sell it to somebody else. As for this other person, does not this other person also have the right to "duplicate" this wheat or flocks through cultivating or rearing their own? Does not this other person also have the right to give these "duplicates" to other people? It is just ridiculous to say that duplicating the wheat or flock through creating another one, and giving it to somebody else, is the same thing as taking wheat or taking the flock from the original person.
If so, suppose that there was somebody who created some "content" on a CD, and sells it to someone else. It is, in fact, a bad thing to take the CD from the original person: that is called stealing. Now, why shouldn't this someone else who have bought a CD or something like that have the right to replicate the CD by also creating their own CD with the same contents, or giving it to somebody else? To say that creating a duplicate, and giving it to someone else, is the same thing as taking it from the original person, is also ridiculous. "Stealing" means taking the CD from the original person; it does not mean creating a copy of a CD of a CD that one already owns, and handing it over to someone else. The fact that it is much easier to duplicate a CD or file, &c, does not diminish the fact that one owns the CDs one buys all the same.
The only argument for that is to say that they only own the CD, but not the abstract idea on the CD itself. But then, it is merely an idea: to claim control over what other people do with ideas or thoughts is tantamount to thought police, and against the freedom of thought and the freedom of speech.
There will allways be stupid people who limit themselves to watching everything on tv, with ads and on some tv stations schedule. Tv stations with rights to tv series might think about setting up online broadcasts everywhere in the world, with ads added for every country, that are available everywhere at the same time. If people had another easy way to watch everything, even with ads, they probaply would do so. Tv is so limiting, mostly just because you have to watch everything at a certain time and maybe years later than the original release of the series.
no one cares if you lend (or give) a CD or a movie to your friend. that is on the exact opposite end of the spectrum as "sharing" a CD or a movie with millions of strangers on the internet. the two correlate about as well as .a 22 caliber bullet correlates to a 50 megaton atomic bomb.
furthermore, the idea that a work of intellectual property, which is itself the culmination of as much hard work and sweat as any physical product or service is somehow less deserving of protection is an opinion that could only be held by a pathetically selfish member of the Free Lunch Movement.
This is the reason many people download a lot of TV shows in Australia. If you think waiting just a month for a Doctor Who episode is bad, try waiting 6 to 12 months for other, more popular TV shows that get shown on the commercial, free-to-air TV networks.
I'm originally from Australia, although I'm currently living overseas now, and I got tired of waiting for the shows I wanted to see get aired, only to find that they get put on in a late night time slot with little, if any, advertising beforehand to let anyone know it's coming, and then end up missing the episodes anyway.
To make matters worse, most of the good shows aren't available to purchase online in Australia from stores like iTunes, and the ones they do have, aren't even offered in HD. Also, the DRM is a major deterrent against buying there anyway.
As far as I'm concerned, TV is a dying medium for series. On demand, high definition, DRM free, world wide, internet downloads are the future, whether the industry likes it or not. The model worked well for the original web series of Sanctuary, before they sold out to the sci-fi network and screwed over their non-US fanbase.
I like the comarisend from the BBC, its like making a VHS and giving it away to a neighboar…
I live in Australia. I can tell you there is no way in hell i'm waiting for Dr Who to be aired here. I tell you when it becomes available to download i'm going to know about it. Me missing a Dr Who episode you must be kidding.
If I were an Aussie I'd just download it on xmas. Even though we can watch it for free on tv, the only reason the industry doesn't like Bittorrent is because they don't have any control over the distribution system and can't rake in as much cash for spamming your head with adverts.
The brilliant thing about the BBC is that they don't rely on commercials to provide funding, so they will never persue file sharers, their only concern is the cost to make and the cost to broadcast. Oh and the backlash of johnny foreigner getting our tv shows for free, by angry license fee payers. The BBC unlike most media corporations are clearly looking to the future, they have already written a codec with network streaming which rivals h.264 which is GPL and completely free and not patent encumbered like h.264, called the Dirac codec. How cool is that?
@ALIS – what does your TV license actually pay for? I mean we get Dr Who, Top Gear, Spooks, Have I Got News for You, Mock the Week, the list goes on and without and people still complain about the license fee, so I imagine unless Finland has some very good shows being shown on a channel without commercials, people will have a lot of resentment to the TV permit in Finland?
Why downloading Doctor Who in first time? It’s shity show anyway
"the difference between my analogy and yours is that mine is rooted in reality and yours is rooted in delusional fantasy"
Sounds like you are talking about yourself.
"it doesn't matter how many times you repeat it, a CD or a film is not a singular "idea""
Yes, it is, no matter how many times you deny it.
"is not payment enough"
You said that it is free lunch. If it is free lunch, then it would solve world hunger. Free lunch is always a good thing, since it disadvantages nobody. It is simply doing something with one's own property: if one buys a CD, one owns the CD, and so one has an inherent right to do anything one wants with it, like create copies, or give to others. Also, you make no sense when you say "freetard," since that word does not exist.
By the way, you have still have said nothing to prove your point. As if slugs can ever do that… Now tell your boss that you have failed, you MAFIAA plant.
Broadcasting the Christmas Special in January is actually a lot better than the ABC normally do, past 3 years they've only shown it in July before showing the next series. Still won't stop me from watching online, but I'll probably end up watching on ABC as well so no harm no foul.
The opinion that one does not have the right over the ideas and thoughts contained in one's mind, or in a CD is an opinion that could only be held by someone trying to turn the internet into a police state and establish a thought police – someone who doesn't believe in freedom of speech and freedom of thought.
After all, one owns the CD one buys. Why can't one copy it and sent it to other people?
The idea that freedom is "free lunch…" well, if lunches were able to created easily for free, then that would be a great help to humanity. If before, there was no free lunch, now there is, through file-sharing. But it is more than benefiting humanity: it is also the freedom of thought and freedom of speech, the freedom to do what one wants with the ideas and thoughts contained in the brain or a CD one owns.
The idea that lending or giving a CD to a friend is like a .22 caliber bullet is also unjust to what it really is. If lending or giving a CD to a friend is like free lunch, then the more appropriate analogy is that sharing a CD or movie with millions of strangers is the end of world hunger. If lunch is freely available for everyone, then to take it away is to take away the solution to world hunger: a heinous act, if anyone would do so.
Moreover, the fact is that the "lunch" was not even available for sale in the first place: the only option is to take it for free, so that there are two options: 1. don't have lunch, or 2. take it for free.
Now go get another job, you hired industry advocate. Tell your boss that you fail.
I noticed there is a (Top 10 Most Pirated TV-Shows of 2008) But will this be updated depending on how the Dr Who Christmas special will do. I will be suprised if Dr Who doesn't make the list.
the difference between my analogy and yours is that mine is rooted in reality and yours is rooted in delusional fantasy. it doesn't matter how many times you repeat it, a CD or a film is not a singular "idea". To call it such is to admit to idiocy. the obnoxious repeating of your illogical views lends no credence to them. if anything, it does the opposite. To postulate that you're entitled to the hard work of untold thousands of people while giving nothing back just makes you an asshole…
and no, being a freetard is not payment enough. not in reality. not when people have mouths to feed, bills to pay, and future projects to fund. hard to come to terms with when you're just an idiot kid living in his parents basement but perhaps you could try a little harder to envision the world from an adult's perspective?
in conclusion, yes you are just another FREETARD in the FREE LUNCH MOVEMENT and although it seems impossible, you actually give the "movement" a bad name with your meandering, badly worded, tin foil hat opinions that have absolutely no bearing on reality past or present.
P.S i think it's hilarious how you vote all your posts up. so pathetic…
"the difference between my analogy and yours is that mine is rooted in reality and yours is rooted in delusional fantasy"
Sounds like you are talking about yourself.
"it doesn't matter how many times you repeat it, a CD or a film is not a singular "idea""
Yes, it is, no matter how many times you deny it.
"is not payment enough"
You said that it is free lunch. If it is free lunch, then it would solve world hunger. It is simply doing something with one's own property: if one buys a CD, one has an inherent right to do anything one wants with it, like create copies, or give to others. Also, you make no sense when you say "freetard," since that word does not exist.
"the difference between my analogy and yours is that mine is rooted in reality and yours is rooted in delusional fantasy"
Sounds like you are talking about yourself.
"it doesn't matter how many times you repeat it, a CD or a film is not a singular "idea""
Yes, it is, no matter how many times you deny it.
"is not payment enough"
You said that it is free lunch. If it is free lunch, then it would solve world hunger. Free lunch is always a good thing, since it disadvantages nobody. It is simply doing something with one's own property: if one buys a CD, one has an inherent right to do anything one wants with it, like create copies, or give to others. Also, you make no sense when you say "freetard," since that word does not exist.
By the way, you have still have said nothing to prove your point. As if slugs can ever do that… Now tell your boss that you have failed, you MAFIAA plant.
unfortunately we have to pay for these programmes THROUGH THREAT OF IMPRISONMENT so I am gobsmacked thta they are being stolen and that the BBC allow this piracy to continue
Sharing isn't stealing, idiot.
ok I have just watched the special you will either love it or hate it.I found it very boring and I am looing forward to RTD leaving the show. Great he reivived interest in it but he just has nothing to give to the show. Limited original ideas for sure, I am sick of cyberman and daleks. Also there was no and I repeat no reincarnation in this dr who christmas special at all.the acting was good from tennant.
These shows are PAID FOR by UK citizens through threat of imprisonment. Thereore anyone who DOESNT PAY FOR THEM is STEALING. Half wit.
Exactly! I'm surprised more people haven't mentioned this.
There is no loss of profit in this case. ABC is government funded and has no ads!
Nope – the guy is right: To steal Doctor Who I would have to break into the BBC and pilfer the original master copy before it was distributed. Nobody did that. Torrenting is copyright infringement not theft. :P
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