On What Planet Is The 'News' That A Movie's Available On P2P Actually Considered News?

from the not-this-one dept

We’ve been noting with some surprise today the stories that seem to be popping up all over the place saying that Michael Moore’s latest movie has made its way onto P2P networks. It’s hard to see how this really constitutes news anymore, though perhaps we’re wrong in assuming that pretty much any movie is available online these days. In any case, a story in Advertising Age seems to be where it all started, and it’s notable — if for no other reason than the ridiculous hyperbole contained within. The author seems genuinely surprised that he could find and download the movie easily, but the fun really starts when he says Moore and his distributor “have a [sic] every film maker’s worst marketing nightmare on their hands — how to persuade people to go to the theater to see a show that’s available free on the Internet.” Wow! Why would anybody go to the movies since it could be downloaded? It’s not as if being available online and widely downloaded has kept other films from hitting the top of the box office, and obviously nobody went to see the latest Star Wars movie after it was leaked online — it just managed to rake in $850 million by magic. It’s probably also worth pointing out to the Ad Age reporter that Moore himself doesn’t have a problem with people sharing his movies, since as far as he’s concerned, “the more people who get to see them, the better.”


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Comments on “On What Planet Is The 'News' That A Movie's Available On P2P Actually Considered News?”

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52 Comments
Anonymous Coward says:

Re: Re:

The story tells us a lot about the state of modern journalism. It seems like a lot of “journalists.” just read what others are writing and parrot the same story. It doesn’t really matter whether the original story was good, bad, or indifferent because the parrot journalists don’t bother to question the quality of the original story. If it looks like there is something a bit sensational in the original story that is good enough to get it repeated.

Anonymous Coward says:

Shouldn’t that anti-American assclown Michael Moore be glad his movie is out in p2p land? I mean, that means those damn corporations that help run America aren’t getting money and the people get the news and information they deserve!

Oh wait, that’s right, this is screwing him over… and he doesn’t actually care about the American people, he just likes to whine and piss people off.

James Last says:

Re: Re:

“anti-American assclown”? Have you even seen any of his work? Why is it that anyone who has a point that does not line up with the neo-conservative born-again view is considered anti-American? Here is something for you: I recycle, I don’t have a gun, I drive a low-emission car, use energy saving light bulbs, hug trees, but I still proudly wave the American flag, support our troops and sing the Anthem. Punk.

Dosquatch says:

Re: Re: assclown

Have you even seen any of his work? Why is it that anyone who has a point that does not line up with the neo-conservative born-again view is considered anti-American?

Because he’s a bald-faced liar. OK, hairy-faced liar, but still.

No, no, hear me out! I’ve seen all of his movies. I even agree with him a little more than half the time. I’m always entertained by what he releases, but I also recognize it for what it is, and it ain’t documentary. It’s propoganda.

He willfully takes things out of context, edits out the parts that don’t support his position, consciously drops important parts of the “facts” he reports. He is, in short, less fair and balanced than Fox freakin’ News. He has a political axe to grind, and makes no secret of this. And he still manages to sell what he does as “documentary”.

It amazes me the shenanigans he gets away with, but he is entertaining.

GoblinJuice says:

Re: Re: Re:

“Have you even seen any of his work?”

I have. Remember that craptacular show he had on (*gasp*) Fox? I watched it back when I was a little kid. Seen all of his crappy movies, too.

“Why is it that anyone who has a point that does not line up with the neo-conservative born-again view is considered anti-American?”

The “don’t call me unpatriotic because I don’t support the right” meme is old.

“I recycle”

Pointless, but if it makes you feel better about yourself… go ahead.

“I don’t have a gun”

I wouldn’t advertise that. Get trained and get armed. Assuming, of course, that you’re sane enough to properly handle a handgun.

“I drive a low-emission car”

Again, pointless. Guess it makes ya feel good, tho.

“use energy saving light bulbs”

Yet again, pointless.

“hug trees”

You do a lot of pointless shit that makes you feel good, huh?

“but I still proudly wave the American flag”

But? But?! Why BUT?! You’ve confessed something deep about yourself. I’ll leave it for someone else to analyze.

o_O Anyone who says they “wave the American flag” usually doesn’t and wouldn’t.

It’s sorta like the white guy who says his “best friend is black.” You know he’s bullshittin’ ya. ๐Ÿ˜‰

“support our troops”

The phrase “support the troops” is meaningless, unless you also support their mission. Which I’m guessing you don’t. Would love to be wrong!

Oh, yeah, did I mention I’m an atheist? I must make your head hurt. I’m pro-Choice and I’m pro-Gun. ๐Ÿ˜›

SailorRipley says:

Re: Re: Re: Re:

The phrase “support the troops” is meaningless, unless you also support their mission. Which I’m guessing you don’t. Would love to be wrong!

calling bs on this one: you can perfectly support the soldiers who risk or lay down their lives for their country, yet not support the retarded reason(s) some moron(s) have sent them there…

But I guess that concept is too complicated for all the black/white, “with us or against us” simplicity you’re used to

The “don’t call me unpatriotic because I don’t support the right” meme is old.

so are “if you’re not with us, you’re against us” and “if you don’t agree with us, you MUST be a traitor/terrorist”

Cixelsid says:

Consumerism

The author of the adage article is clearly a product of upbringing in the consumerism age. Everything has to have a bottom line in terms of monetary value.

I don’t think Micheal Moore makes the movies he makes in order to make tons of cash. His movies aren’t exactly the popcorn fodder the Hollywood studios churn out.

The broader his audience the better he can deliver his message. (Whatever that may be.)

Jason Vanover says:

Re: Re:

Exactly right, Moore causes trouble for certain people. I haven’t forgotten him giving out the phone number to a conservative talk show host who justly criticized him. He and his wife received received hundreds and hundreds of harassing calls including death threats because of him doing this.

He changes information to make his point, just like Al Gore. I have no respect for either one. For those asking, no, I am not a conservative.

Lucretious (profile) says:

Moore

This is simply more of the same wink-wink nudge-nudge BS similar to the Cuba controversy from Moore and his company to garner news. Of course he has no problem with people downloading it. His goal is to incite controversy for next years election. Instead of being honest about his end goal he’s being a transparent worm of a human being.

Moore could be so much more effective if he were intellectually honest with his audience but, instead, like the far right he rails against he uses half-truths and outright bullshit to advance his agenda. Theres enough damage wrought by both sides of the political spectrum that no one needs to to embellish of make stuff up. Further, like the right he doesn’t see that most people aren’t stupid, they fall somewhere in the middle ground where common sense exists but of course both extremes will have you believing being a moderate is somehow “spineless”. The left of which Moore is a flag waving part is just as guilty as the right.

Anonymous Coward says:

“The author seems genuinely surprised that he could find and download the movie easily”

You’re missing a VERY vital point here. There are still LOTS of people that cannot believe this stuff is available online. And I’m not talking about old people with no PC or internet access.

I’m talking about people like my brother and sister (30 somthing) who use computers regularly and even the internet BUT have only just realised you can download just about any film/TV/music in the world for free.

That’s just life, some people know a lot don’t.

Never assume everyone is as tech minded as the people on this blog are, they aren’t.

Overcast says:

“anti-American assclown”? Have you even seen any of his work? Why is it that anyone who has a point that does not line up with the neo-conservative born-again view is considered anti-American? Here is something for you: I recycle, I don’t have a gun, I drive a low-emission car, use energy saving light bulbs, hug trees, but I still proudly wave the American flag, support our troops and sing the Anthem. Punk.

You mean the energy saving light bulbs they put Mercury into, right? Gee that’s good for the environment. Maybe if we’re lucky, all the Mercury that leaks out at the city dump will cure the headaches of some rats or something.

And so what if you don’t have a gun – why? Can’t trust your self? I’m sure the guy who would rob you has one.. If someone broke into your house and started ripping your wife’s clothes off to rape her – you wouldn’t go for a weapon or at the very least, seek to kick his ass?

But still – I think Michael Moore is just a big fat guy looking for attention, without a ‘shock’ value, his movies would go no where. Seriously… Canadian Bacon? Years ago, before I could even care less about politics – I thought it was a stupid, boring movie. He obviously has no love for a ‘Non-Socialist’ America, but I can’t say he ‘hates’ it.

But this new one… I might actually see it.

It’s hard to get past his whacko theories though.

Not that I would put ANYTHING past a politician for their love of money, but I really don’t think the Government’s organized enough to successfully bring a conspiracy theory like that to full fruition, without someone caving to greed and singing like a bird.

How is it that Lib’ go on and on about how ‘dumb’ Bush is and the next sentance is how he planned and executed the largest, most successful conspiracy in human history? Both can’t be true.

I have no love for Bush… but still..

Charles Griswold (user link) says:

Re: Mercury in CFLs

You mean the energy saving light bulbs they put Mercury into, right? Gee that’s good for the environment. Maybe if we’re lucky, all the Mercury that leaks out at the city dump will cure the headaches of some rats or something.

Here’s the scoop in mercury in compact fluorescent lamps from the Energy-Efficient Lighting page of Eartheasy.com.

Mercury is a toxic metal associated with contamination of water, fish, and food supplies, and can lead to adverse health affects. A CFL bulb generally contains less than 4 mg of mercury (about one-fifth of that found in the average watch battery, and less than 1/100th of the mercury found in an amalgam dental filling). A power plant will emit 10mg of mercury to produce the electricity to run an incandescent bulb compared to only 2.4mg of mercury to run a CFL for the same time. The net benefit of using the more energy efficient lamp is positive, and this is especially true if the mercury in the fluorescent lamp is kept out of the waste stream when the lamp expires.

According to Eartheasy, it’s better to use CFLs even though they do contain small amounts of mercury.

Fair and unbalanced says:

Less fair and balanced than Fox? WTF!?

Fox news is spewing neocon talking points 24/7. M Moore puts out a movie every what, about every two years? There is no way he has the impact Fox has.

Just listen to what he has to say, think, and go about your business. His movies promote a point of view, one that you have the choice of accepting or rejecting.

He is nothing like Fox news. I know this because my parents are so easily programmed by Fox. Whenever I visit I have to deprogram them, refute all the little sound bites they parrot as fact, and try and set their minds back in think for yourself mode. I swear, they’re like god damn Moonies!

GoblinJuice says:

*yawn*

Worst nightmare – Hardly. The anti-Bush, pro-Moore crowd will see the movie, no matter what. The pro-Bush, anti-Moore crowd won’t. Availability online won’t change this. It’s free PR. It’ll create more off a “buzz”.

Availability of movies online in general – Being able to watch a movie, in the privacy of my own home, allows me to decide if it’s worth going to see in a theater (ie, enhanced movie experience) and/or purchase a copy.

Cuba controversy – He broke the law. He knew he was breaking the law. Now, he’s using his possible punishment as PR. It’s one of his standard gimmicks – break the law, scream “persecution” when the law comes a-knockin’ and generate more buzz for himself and/or his current product. The penalty will be nothing more than a slap on the wrist.

Michael Moore isn’t a journalist. He’s, at best, an infotainer. An infotainer with a hard left bias. Bill O’Reilly, for example, is an infotainer with a hard “traditional” / conservative bias. Whether or not they realize it, they are both jokes to journalism.

B says:

That’s because Neo-Conservatives ARE Fascists. They just make their fascism more palatable.

Furthermore, saying someone who does not agree with your position is anti-whatever nation you belong to, and therefor an enemy, is a time honored weapon of fascism. Therefor, anyone who claims that someone they don’t agree with is anti-American is a fascist.

If you think there aren’t fascists in the neo-conservative movement, thing again. Look at Alberto Gonzales, his comments and his record. This is man would use the Constitution to wipe his ass if he thought he could get away with it, and he’s just one of the fascists that inhabit the Republican party. Admittedly, he’s probably the worst of them, but is not alone.

The Democratic party isn’t any better, really, but I do believe that the best thing that’s happened recently is the Dems winning Congress. They just just as corrupt and evil as the Repubs, but at least now the government will be too busy fighting itself through to do any further damage to the American people.

And while Michael Moore is a joke and a propagandist, I will defend his right to say what he wishes. Because the only true ‘anti-Americans assclowns’ are those who would condemn and create an enemy out of someone with a different point of view to their own.

Andrew Garrett says:

Re: Re:

Furthermore, saying someone who does not agree with your position is anti-whatever nation you belong to, and therefore an enemy, is a time honored weapon of fascism. Therefor, anyone who claims that someone they don’t agree with is anti-American is a fascist.

Association fallacy / fallacy of affirming the consequent.

That’s like saying “taxation is a time-honoured way that fascists get money. Therefore, anyone who imposes a tax is a fascist”.

Annoymouse says:

From what I’ve seen, Sicko is trying to make and expose the faulty health care system in the United States. I think it’s good to see someone pointing out the flaws, although it is probably bias, in a system that doesn’t work. From what I’ve heard, he went to other countries to see why their health care system works – here in Canada for example we have universal health care, but that is not without it’s huge flaws – to get an idea of what ideas might work in America. I don’t see why everyone in the States shouldn’t be able to access health care if theya re sick.

lanbexx says:

what you have to realize is that EVERYONE realize what michael moore puts out is biased. Yes it has half truths, but he is supposed to be persuasive for his viewpoint. you dont support the death penalty while also pointing out how many people are wrongly put to death each year.

the difference between that and Fox/the conservative right is that they believe themselves to be right. Arguably derived from a Christian belief that they have the moral authority to impose their religion on anyone, the neo-conservatives believe that they are the truth that America seeks, and everyone that goes against them is unpatriotic and damaging to the integrity of the country.

so yes, we do not all proclaim moore to be a saint. but neither does he. if u read his interview in Time, he admits he twists facts. Fox believes it brings the real truth that america wants.

Chris Paul (user link) says:

Moore free publicity

Perspective – Its all good….. its quintessential brilliant Michael Moore Marketing …the MMM or mmm I got MOORE free publicity doing this….. lets break it down…. after the 20+ years Ive spent in Advertising, Marketing, PR, Internet Marketing (14 years)…what I see from my corner of the planet is it’s all good for Michael…. Michael has a mission and the mission is his message no matter what it takes to get it out there… now he gains the impact of of P2P, then he’ll enjoy the release of the reel thing, and now he has a little extra buzz for the effort… …its News alright because we are making it so…. we should all take notes in this Viral Age … buzz is good…this is buzz….pushbuzz.com kind of thing…..buzz is News.

Dookey (profile) says:

Yeah...sure

I work for an insurance company in IT…I watched the movie lastnight and I have to tell you…I will be looking for a new job asap! Not because M. Moore made me feel bad, but because I see this shit on a daily basis, and have a feeling when America sees this movie, they will start understanding what is happening when they submit a claim for a wart removal and it is denied as a pre-existing condition. The company I work for made nearly 30 Billion (yes, with a B) last year, gross. That was done by denying the claims of people who have cancer, heart conditions, and other serious life threatening conditions. Okay? See the movie, then tell me you don’t care.

Anonymous Coward says:

Re: Yeah...sure

Medical insurance?

I don’t need a film to tell me that insurance is one of the greatest scams of all time. Going by the business logic of, “The less you pay, the more you keep” insurance companies are motivatied to pay a little as possible in order to keep the premiums their customers pay to them.

PhysicsGuy says:

GoblinJuice

amazing, you have so much to type, yet so little meaning, point, or relevance. that string of pointless, one line responses in which everything you said should be laughed at for its sheer lack of absurdity? priceless.

You do a lot of pointless shit that makes you feel good, huh?

it’s like you read my mind. for example, one can easily make a valid argument about how the use of fluorescent light bulbs impact in relation to climate gases is so insignificant that the end result will be indistinguishable had you used incandescent light bulbs. but wait, what was your response? Yet again, pointless. so can i conclude you were in some self-deprecating way commenting about yourself and your own comments? if it wasn’t for your first post, i’d say you were a developmentally delayed rehab patient who was addicted to crack and being held in a detainment facility who broke out and somehow managed, by sheer luck and coincidence, to find their way to this site and leave a comment.

you should have just stuck to your first post; there was substance there.

oh, and http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&safe=off&q=define%3Afascism&btnG=Search methinks you don’t know what fascism means…

TDMTP says:

TechDirt Mises The Point. Again.

The story isn’t that the movie is on P2P, it’s that he was afraid for the safety of the movie due to some of his filming locations. Now that’s it’s on P2P it’s “safe.”

Rather than making rash decisions/opinions based on poor assumptions, TechDirt might take a page from /.’s book and post relevant information concerning current events.

http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/06/18/0059232&from=rss

TDMTP says:

Re: Re: TDMTP Misses The Point

Swing and a miss.

TechDirt is making the point that movies on P2P are old news. The story they refer to isn’t about how a movie found it’s way to P2P, it’s not even about a movie making it’s way to P2P before being released, it’s that a movie that was potentially going to be censored found it’s way to P2P, where it cannot be censored.

Vincent Clement says:

Re: Re: Re: TDMTP Misses The Point

Three strikes. Your out.

The first article cited in the post is the C|Net News.com article that has the byline “Pirates nab Michael Moore’s yet-to-be released doc”.

The Advertising Age article, the second link in the post, has this byline: “Michael Moore’s ‘Sicko’ Leaked Onto Web – Every Movie Marketer’s Worst Nightmare Becomes Grim Reality for Weinstein Co.”

While both articles mention the whole ‘stash a copy of the movie in Canada’ thread – which is not about censoring but impounding the movie (it’s all publicity stunt anyways) – the main topic is the fact that the movie is available on P2P and what impact it may have, if any, on movie revenues.

From the Advertising Age article:

“As it turns out, the hard part won’t be getting the film released, but getting audiences to pay to see it now that its available for free.”

The infamous Joe says:

The point is on the top of your head, dunce.

FTA:

every film maker’s worst marketing nightmare on their hands — how to persuade people to go to the theater to see a show that’s available free on the Internet

I dunno, TDMTP, it seems like the article is about this movie finding it’s way to P2P before it’s scheduled release date. In fact, the article doesn’t even seem to mention censorship being an issue.. the author of the article seems to be under the impression that the leak is going against Mr. Moore’s wishes.

Maybe we aren’t reading the same article? ๐Ÿ™‚

Bob says:

He has to give it away because nobody would pay to see it. If you actually wrote a documentary on health care problems and pointed out the REAL reasons health care is so expensive it may be a good movie. The real reasons are that Illegal aliens are sneaking in to the country and going to emergency rooms with no insurance and no money and we have to treat them by law which drives the cost up for everyone else. Also the fact that other countries like Canada tell the drug companies we are paying you x amount of money for these drugs and they say ok we will just overcharge americans to make back our R&D money. Also doctors and hospitals need to make money, otherwise why would they open a business. If you want free health care move to Canada where youll wait 2 years for a simple surgery because people are getting unnecessary treatments simply because it is free and people dont want to become doctors and nurses because they get a paltry salary by the government.

Anonymous Coward says:

o_O Anyone who says they “wave the American flag” usually doesn’t and wouldn’t.

It’s sorta like the white guy who says his “best friend is black.” You know he’s bullshittin’ ya. ๐Ÿ˜‰

lol, that’s so true…

I didn’t say a thing about it – but I have a flag up on my house right now – been there since memorial day and it will remain there until the weather gets nasty. Then it will be respectfully taken down and hang in my basement until next memorial day.

SP says:

Bush...

How is it that Lib’ go on and on about how ‘dumb’ Bush is and the next sentance is how he planned and executed the largest, most successful conspiracy in human history? Both can’t be true.

Think about it, dumbass. Bush had/has help. No, he himself was not smart enough, but some of his “help” were. *Ahem* Dick Cheney had a lot to do with it, I hear…

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Matthew says:

Movies and Sharing in General

What if you have a techno-geek with a fast connection to the internet and the “know-how” to download a shared movie? He watches it and brags to all of his friends that he was able to watch the movie before all of them. He then tells them it’s a great movie, so they all go out and watch it in the theaters. Yeah, you lost a little profit, but you gained a lot more due to his influence. Hey, if I were the assorted movie companies, I’d consider it free advertising.

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