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Is downloading tv shows illegal/immoral?

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I torrent the handful of shows I watch (maybe 6). Not because I can't afford cable, I can easily afford it, and really wish I had it. But I don't mostly as a protest. Until the providers realize that the world is starting to move beyond their outdated business scheme of pay for a big chunk of 60 channels of which you'll only watch 15 and move towards a more a la carte (by show or channel) based model, I don't plan to have cable service


A perfect example of someone doing this properly, is how the NCAA offered all March Madness games for online viewing for $3.99. This is perfect and I bought it immediately. More people should be doing this. Specifically I hope ESPN starts doing this. Either offer their full programming online, or things like a "NBA Playoffs Package" for $10. I'd sure buy it. They already have a billing system and subscription system via ESPN insider, and a streaming service in ESPN3. At the very least they should let people pay a dollar to watch a college game that's blacked out in their area
 
Of all the immoral things in this country the least immoral thing is me downloading an episode of "The Most Immoral Things In This Country".
 
yh125d said:
I torrent the handful of shows I watch (maybe 6). Not because I can't afford cable, I can easily afford it, and really wish I had it. But I don't mostly as a protest. Until the providers realize that the world is starting to move beyond their outdated business scheme of pay for a big chunk of 60 channels of which you'll only watch 15 and move towards a more a la carte (by show or channel) based model, I don't plan to have cable service


A perfect example of someone doing this properly, is how the NCAA offered all March Madness games for online viewing for $3.99. This is perfect and I bought it immediately. More people should be doing this. Specifically I hope ESPN starts doing this. Either offer their full programming online, or things like a "NBA Playoffs Package" for $10. I'd sure buy it. They already have a billing system and subscription system via ESPN insider, and a streaming service in ESPN3. At the very least they should let people pay a dollar to watch a college game that's blacked out in their area
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NBC is doing this too. Works great for watching football when I'm stuck at work.
 
I agree with the sentiment here... I don't think it's necessary immoral if you pay for cable service or you're only downloading shows on networks that are available over the air. It definitely is illegal though.

That said, I do it anyways 😉
 
SKORPI0 said:
Who still uses torrents/p2p to download TV shows? Quality is crap (480p, low bit rate) and speeds are slow. 😵
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That's because you went to the wrong PT sites.
Most PT sites have torrents of 720p/1080p TV shows and movies,Quality is very good.
 
yh125d said:
I torrent the handful of shows I watch (maybe 6). Not because I can't afford cable, I can easily afford it, and really wish I had it. But I don't mostly as a protest. Until the providers realize that the world is starting to move beyond their outdated business scheme of pay for a big chunk of 60 channels of which you'll only watch 15 and move towards a more a la carte (by show or channel) based model, I don't plan to have cable service
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Here's how you protest about your *cough* 'principle' *cough*:

Don't buy the shows, *and don't watch the shows*.

In the meantime, I don't like your personal morals, and until you agree I'm going to burglarize your home and take things.

Now, someone else behaves like I like. I won't burglarize them.
 
rudeguy said:
Inspired by all the other tv threads.

Is downloading tv shows via torrent or any other non approved way illegal? What about immoral?
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Since you ask:

Yes, to both, but let's talk the moral issue.

There are people who decide to create and sell entertainment products - tv shows. Like someone who provides driving service, cashier service, or other servicess in all kinds of businesses, they provide a service (one you want or we wouldn't be talking about you watching the shows) in expectation of being paid for the service under the law.

Technology happens to let you steal their service. It's no different than a teleportation device that let you take items from someone's home, or ordering taxis to pick people up that are pony orders wasting their time, or other things that take the service people sell and don't compensate them as the law allows them to contract. It's possible to do this, to take and not pay, to harm people; it's wrong.

What if you made a show, and put it up for sale, and people took it and didn't pay? Maybe you say 'that's ok' - that's your right; what if you want to be paid?

It's more than just you taking it. It's that it takes the money that fuels the system, so that fewer shows are made and shows have lower budgets, making them lower quality.

Lots of good shows and movies - ones you can choose not to watch - are made when the economic model is followed - you pay the requested price, if it's worth it; they make it.

Ultimately, not paying for content is an attack on civilization and culture, however much a lot of the entertainment products don't deserve the word.

You like 'Game of Thrones'? OK, people steal it; no money; next season isn't made. That's an effect of you not paying, and others not paying.

Support the things you want made. Stealing the content because the technology is there is theft from the creators and distributors and weakens the culture.
 
Laws make it illegal but if it is a show that was broadcast over the airwaves ie ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX broadcast network programs I have no moral issues with downloading them if I missed them and forgot to set the DVR.
 
Immoral, definitely not. It's actually encouraged in the Bible. Do you remember when Jesus was making copies of loaves and fishes and distributing them freely to a crowd? He was the original torrent host. As a result, I believe the bread making companies and fishermen association were on the verge of launching a law suit against Jesus and looked to imprison him for theft. They said they lost a lot of money due to Jesus' little stunt. The wine makers later joined the lawsuit.

Unfortunately the lawsuit never saw the light of day as Jesus died shortly after.
 
Illegal? Yes, Immoral? No.

It is not immoral to break laws you do not agree with. The TV model will not change because of flawed logic. The only way to get change is to willfully and knowingly break that law.

The big TV companies can't offer all their content directly because it will put the local stations out of business, but the local stations are drying anyway because of people format shifting and time shifting. It's just like cable packages.

Comcast won't pressure the industry to let them sell 1 off channels because it will drive up costs and kill channels no one wants anyway. At the same time, they have issues with quality because they jam too many channels into their tiny pipe. What they don't realize is they would make more money by selling each channel ala-cart and would offer better quality (as all those channels no one watches go off air) which would prevent people from format shifting.

Further more the death of local broadcast television would open up a large section of the spectrum for use in getting more people internet access. We could then format shift from cable and satellite (which would open up more of the spectrum) to IP based television. This could then cut out the middle man and lower costs for everyone.
 
sourceninja said:
Illegal? Yes, Immoral? No.

It is not immoral to break laws you do not agree with. The TV model will not change because of flawed logic. The only way to get change is to willfully and knowingly break that law.

The big TV companies can't offer all their content directly because it will put the local stations out of business, but the local stations are drying anyway because of people format shifting and time shifting. It's just like cable packages.

Comcast won't pressure the industry to let them sell 1 off channels because it will drive up costs and kill channels no one wants anyway. At the same time, they have issues with quality because they jam too many channels into their tiny pipe. What they don't realize is they would make more money by selling each channel ala-cart and would offer better quality (as all those channels no one watches go off air) which would prevent people from format shifting.

Further more the death of local broadcast television would open up a large section of the spectrum for use in getting more people internet access. We could then format shift from cable and satellite (which would open up more of the spectrum) to IP based television. This could then cut out the middle man and lower costs for everyone.
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its already happening, except for some expensive to produce shows like game of thrones

if you don't care about sports just buy a roku and/or apple tv and pay for netflix/amazon/hule
 
I watch whatever I want, whenever I want, on whatever device I want, with no commercials. Until the cable companies offer that at a reasonable, variable tier pricing model I won't feel the least bit bad about torrenting. I also feel I shouldn't have to pay much if anything to a middle man.
 
alent1234 said:
its already happening, except for some expensive to produce shows like game of thrones

if you don't care about sports just buy a roku and/or apple tv and pay for netflix/amazon/hule
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That's exactly what I do.

I watch 90% of my stuff on netflix/hulu with another 5% via amazon. I watch the last 5% via questionable means. (Most of that 5% is on hulu, just with rules that don't allow it on my tv or poor resolution).

I also watch UFC PPV's on my roku.
 
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