Fwd: ASIA-PACIFIC REGION CALLED 'PIRACY CENTRAL' FOR DVDS

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> Copyright 2003 Financial Times Information
> All rights reserved
> Global News Wire - Asia Africa Intelligence Wire
> Copyright 2003 BusinessWorld (Philippines)
> BusinessWorld (Philippines)
>
> February 28, 2003
>
> LENGTH: 610 words
> HEADLINE: ASIA-PACIFIC REGION CALLED 'PIRACY CENTRAL' FOR DVDS
> BYLINE: Giselle P. Kasilag
> BODY:
> Some 87% of pirated Digital Versatile Discs (DVDs) seizures were made
> in the Asia-Pacific region, the Motion Pictures Association (MPA)
> yesterday said.
> "Clearly, this is piracy central," said Michael C. Ellis, vice-
> president and regional director of Asia/Pacific Anti-Piracy Operations
> of the MPA. "This is where the replications are taking part." The MPA
> yesterday launched its DVD Rewards Campaign in the Philippines to curb
> growing piracy in the country as well as in the Asia-Pacific region.
> Through the program, financial rewards will be given to individuals
> providing information that would lead to a successful raid of
> factories or manufacturing plants of pirated DVDs.
> "Our goals are threefold," Mr. Ellis explained. "Firstly, we introduce
> the awareness of the social and economic harm that piracy causes.
> Secondly, we want to support the local enforcement efforts in raiding
> DVD factory plants. And thirdly, we want to bring DVD pirates to
> justice."
> The MPA declared 2003 as Anti-Piracy Action Year in Asia. A similar
> rewards program was launched in Hong Kong last year and its success
> prompted its expansion to the rest of the region.
> To report DVD piracy, individuals with useful information can contact
> the DVD Rewards Hotline at 0919-8995485. The confidential hotline is
> operational 24 hours a day.
> "The total rewards we have available is $ 150,000 for the region but
> this is a replenishable fund," said Richard O'Neill, director of the
> Regional Optical Disc Office of the MPA.
> "The individual rewards will depend on the value of the target after a
> successful raid. We don't announce the amount because in some cases,
> it gives someone a starting point to market it to someone else.
> "It is significant. It is worth the risk. And we know that someone out
> there somewhere, someone knows and we know that this will bring him
> out."
> The MPA represents the following companies: * Buena Vista Pictures
> Distribution, Inc; * Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Inc; * Paramount
> Pictures Corp; * Sony Pictures Entertainment; * 20th Century Fox Film
> Corp; * Vivendi Universal Entertainment; and * Warner Bros., a
> division of Time Warner Entertainment Co., LP.
> The MPA handles an extensive anti-piracy program in over 65 countries
> in behalf of its member companies.
> Their studies showed pirated DVDs seized in Asia increased to 6.1
> million pieces in 2002 from zero in 1998.
> The Philippines alone lost $ 30 million in 2002 due to piracy.
> The country is included in the MPA's priority watch list along with
> India (which lost $ 75 million), Indonesia ($ 28 million) and Taiwan
> ($ 42 million).
> China incurred the biggest loss in a list of 15 countries (including
> Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia New
> Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and
> Vietnam) amounting to $ 168 million.
> Japan is second with $ 110 million.
> "We are appreciative of the efforts the Philippine government is
> making," Mr. Ellis said.
> "They are on the right track. We are here part and parcel to show the
> government that we want to put our money where our mouths are and to
> support the government and the enforcement people in whatever way we
> can to address these piracy issues," he added.
> The campaign is focused specifically to DVDs because the technology is
> the future of the industry.
> Digital images, when reproduced, are as good as the original. The
> 1,000th copy of a digitized film is considered as pure as the
> original.
> "Pirate is too noble a term to call these people," Mr. O'Neill said.
> "They are thieves. They steal other people's work and distribute them
> for their own profit."
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