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Dr Who Bends Time and Space To Beat TV Pirates

Dr Who fans on both sides of the Atlantic have something to celebrate today.

In a move designed to limit piracy of the long-running sci-fi drama, the new series will air today in the United Kingdom, United States and Canada.

Interestingly, a source at Twitter cited this same day release strategy as an example of how the availability of instant social media can affect programming decisions.

Dr Who will still be pirated of course, but by those in countries who don’t have the same release day and by those who missed the original broadcast. Nevertheless, the strategy improvement by the BBC is to be commended.

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  • http://www.facebook.com/tzecco Tony Zecco

    I am totally a fan of this move. The whole reason I had been downloading the episodes was because I didn’t want to wait for BBCA to air them. Why not get it when the Brits do?

    • kismet

      Definitely a good idea. And in the UK, we know exactly how you feel because it does work both ways. We also hate having to wait for awesome shows to make their way from your side of the Atlantic to us. It’s only legal and bureaucratic nonsense that prevents same day releasing being common practice. It’s not technology that holds us back.

      • Anonymous

        add to that….. IF AT ALL……

        The Daily Show with Jon Stewart .. & .. The Colbert Report (comedy central)

        BOTH not show in the UK at all. ( except … the global edition of TDS which is only 20min long , 1 ep per week)

        Again… stupid political licensing holding us back.
        (inter network… which is even stupider.. all CC shows over here is ancient sitcoms , repeated and repeated and repeated )

        “”"It’s not technology that holds us back. “”" well said kismet +100

        • kismet

          “If at all”, indeed. Plus, so many awesome shows get cancelled by stupid network executives and that’s often the end of them. Those prematurely cancelled shows then don’t make it to the UK at all- or at least if they do, it’s only after a really long time.

  • Anonymous

    I won’t see the series in Finland, so i’ll just continue to download it :)

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  • http://disqus.com/ Rob8urcakes

    I guess this is one tiny, minuscule, insignificant step toward some form of sense and rationality but it’s just not enough!!!

    The fools say they do this synchronisation of airing-date to try and thwart or reduce piracy. But if these dummies embraced the new technology and used it to benefit people rather than stubbornly cling to their outdated set of laws and business models, then THAT would assist matters greatly.

    Meanwhile, countries worldwide are forced into adopting crazy pro-copywrong legislation to outlaw and reduce filesharing that no-one wants or will take any real notice of whatsoever.

    All thanks to the MAFIAA and their political puppets in the United States of Censorship.

  • UK Resident

    Why does it always seem to be the UK who is the first to try the commonsense approach while the American industries are still taking the (this content is mine and no one will have it approach) it would just be nice to see a American media company be the first to multi region release something for a change.

    I won’t hold my breath though.

  • markie

    Trying to beat piracy with only the US and Canada. What about airing in Australia. That’s about 40% there about for piracy.

  • markie

    Trying to beat piracy with only the US and Canada. What about airing in Australia. That’s about 40% there about for piracy.

  • Sam

    If only I got BBCA. Cable company fail :(

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1026233656 John H Harris

    I consider it a half-fail, since the BBC America version has commercials, while the British BBC version does not… Sure, I’ll watch it tonight on BBCA, but I’ll still download the uncut/uninterrupted version.

  • The UnUsual Suspect

    I don’t see downloading of TV shows as Piracy. When a company develops a show, they make the decision to broadcast it, and if they do, then they legally release the rights to view it for private use and to record it. There is no law against recording it to give to a friend, and who is to define the meaning of “friend”.

    As long as it’s not being sold or used with advertisements that don’t support the owners, then it’s not piracy.

  • BTGuard - BitTorrent Anonymously

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