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Foxtel to ask for more piracy websites to be blocked

Clamp down to come as hackers release Orange is the New Black season to piracy sites.

Foxtel wants more piracy websites to be blocked in Australia, according to a report.

The Pay TV provider is expected to file an application in the Federal Court of NSW asking a judge to block a new list of pirating websites, the Australian Financial Review notes.

The news comes at a time when the entire 5th season of Orange is the New Black -which screens on both Foxtel and Netflix in Australia- has been leaked by hackers overseas.

Village Roadshow is leading a similar application, along with 21st Century Fox, Warner Bros, Disney, Paramount, and Columbia Pictures to block another 41 sites.

Foxtel CEO Tonagh also said there are sites advertising set-top boxes people can buy which allow consumers to illegally gain free access to Foxtel’s content. The subscription TV business is moving to block those sites as well as stamping out set-top box piracy with new smartcards.

Orange is the New Black was targeted by hackers The Dark Overlord demanding monies be paid by Netflix. But it carried out its threat in full.

“It didn’t have to be this way, Netflix. You’re going to lose a lot more money in all of this than what our modest offer was,” the hacker wrote. “We’re quite ashamed to breathe the same air as you. We figured a pragmatic business such as yourselves would see and understand the benefits of cooperating with a reasonable and merciful entity like ourselves.”

Variety reports the hacker concluded with an explicit threat to the other networks: “And to the others: there’s still time to save yourselves. Our offer(s) are still on the table — for now.”

2 Responses

  1. Well it’s back to TV basics I guess. Providing up to date content at a reasonable price will encourage more consumer loyalty especially if it also includes 4K / UHD. After a reasonable start, content providers are inconsistent with their same day as USA programming, I’m not sure the low percentage of consumers we have in Australia is a good excuse for fobbing off audiences either.

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