The article was about how over 2 million households recieve satellite TV for free using modified "Free to Air" satellite recievers. I found it interesting to see the commenters' views justifying the act of pirating satellite signals.
One user posted this comment that basically sums up my own attitude towards the issue:
What a bunch of crap. Their loss is based on the idea that those that pirate would otherwise pay for the signal if they couldn't steal it? Hardly. Consider them free extra eyeballs to the advertisers.I agree that if satellite companies send out a signal that can be picked up and decoded by anyone, there will be people doing it. Just like if people upload movies and music onto the internet, there will be people downloading them just because they can and it's convenient.
The gas analogy is stupid, gas is a necessity for transportation. Satellite tv is not necessary. And, I'm driving to the gas station to get gas. I'm not getting it poured all over me.
If you don't want pirates stealing signals, then don't send the signals to the pirates. The pirates are in their own house, on their own private property. It's like blaring a radio on their front lawn, and accusing them of listening.
Why steal satellite anyways? Torrents are so much easier. ;)
Recently I learned a bit about licensing agreements in my Telecommunications class and I can understand how satellite companies could be affected by this. Licensing agreements are based on audience size, and if a large portion of the audience is pirating (assuming they would pay for the service if they couldnt pirate) the artist would lose out on money because it would appear that their work is being broadcasted to a smaller audience than it actually is.
I don't see how it's okay just because the signal is there..the people who are stealing the satellite wouldn't pay for it and that's the point, they shouldn't get it if they don't pay for it. That's like justifying stealing, say, in Wal-Mart, because they put all their items out on the shelves just asking for it to be stolen. It would make their audiences seem smaller and their products seem less popular, just like it would if a certain toy or appliance kept getting stolen from wal-mart, they would never make any money on it so they wouldn't think that it was worth producing. I guess it could work in the opposite if it was a product that made people wanna buy parts for it, like a razor where you have to buy the blades, but then again they would probably steal those too.
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