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Underbelly torrents online

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A torrent file purporting to be the Underbelly drama is being linked from a Dutch website.

The show that a court has ruled must not be broadcast by the Nine Network in Victoria has been uploaded to a torrent site, effectively making it downloadable internationally, including in the State of Victoria.

The uploading and downloading of television programmes and movies remains illegal under the Australian Copyright Act.

Meanwhile in Victoria, here’s what Eddie McGuire had to say prior to the screening of The Shawshank Redemption.

You better smile, Eddie….

Meanwhile, unnamed sources within Nine have told The Age the network arrogantly proceeded with the series, knowing it was a legal minefield.

“I think they’ve just gone in (to the legal issues) with … bravado and been shot down,” a Nine employee said yesterday.

Nine spokeswoman Arabella Gibson denied potential legal issues had been ignored in the lead-up to the $10.4 million series. “We are seeking to have the matter heard in the Court of Appeal on Friday. We’re working on the appeal at the moment.”

One South Melbourne Hotel last night screened the series via its satellite television, beaming in the first two episodes from Western Australia.

Please Note: TV Tonight policy is to not link to torrent sites. This applies to comments.

Source: The Age

14 Responses

  2. what is the point of having fast broadband internet if i can’t dl free 2 air tv shows, what if i aint got time 2 watch my fav show each week as ppl work, study etc. and i wanna watch during my semester breaks.

    I think i’ll conform 2 the copyright laws and revert to my snail paced 28KB/s dial up, thanx guys u have really opened my eyes, on the regualations

  3. I’d be quite happy to legally download a television show – some of the times the torrent downloads can be either fake, or out of sync – to spend a couple of bucks knowing your download is going to be legit is worth it i think. However Australia is stil in the dark ages when it comes to this side of things – itunes (however bad it is technologically) is still not releasing TV shows in Australia.

    Don’t give me that crap about stealing – there’s always going to be that type of person going to get something without paying, whether it is music, tv or whatever. I think the internet just helps spread word of mouth – look at tv shows like firefly – the buzz about that show helped DVD sales, you can’t tell me normal Australian TV helped the eventual movie release, Australian TV treats most TV shows with contempt.

  4. In response to lie’s question: It would be more legal to download shows containing advertising, but only if part of the money advertisers paid to put their ads into the downloaded show was passed on to the copyright owner. There would also need to be stats kept on the number of downloads of the show containing ads so that (1) the advertisers paid based on the number of viewers watching the show/their ads, and (2) the owners of the copyright of the show get paid accoriding to number of viewers.

  5. I totally agree with what you are saying Tony & Kate (whom ever we are chatting too). And i wasnt trying to prove u wrong or anything i was just trying to basically make the same point that the copyright laws are f**ked up.

    Here is a question for ya…. If the shows that were downloaded from the torrents sites had advertising in them still (instead of being edited) would that then become more “legal” (in regard to Australian shows that are downloaded as i know the US shows would be pointless)

  7. I think (in regards to Tony and Kate) that the approach that the networks should take is not one like a store, with security, but to catch up with the times and encouragedownloading as an alternative medium to watching it on the TV. I’m sure they can come up with a way to make revenue on it (whether it be charging like iTunes or including advertisements, i dont know). Obviously there will always be illegal downloads, nothing will stop that, but with some careful planning networks can certainly minimise it.

  8. Hey Jie, I am not saying I agree with Copyright law, I am just telling it how it is.

    In fact, some of the legislation is downright stupid. (It is even more amazing that it was only amended in December 2006!) For example, if you purchase a CD from JB Hi Fi and copy it for your own personal use (i.e CD copy for the car, rip it to your hard drive). That is allowed. However, you are then not allowed to sell the original CD. Go figure. Check out this pdf http://www.copyright.org.au/pdf/acc/infosheets_pdf/g097.pdf

    Some of the ‘rules’ are just ridiculous !!! Try this one for size – you can copy something you own for private use (like a cd purchased), but someone else can’t copy it for you !?!?!? So, my Dad who doesn’t have a CD burner, can’t get me to make a copy of the latest Neil Diaomnd CD for use in his car !!!

    I agree about the confusion over downloading a TV show. It doesn’t really make sense does it. I guess the fact is when it is screened on TV the copyright owner makes income from it (the purpose of copyright in most cases) by having advertising. If you download it (usually edited without advertising) they are not receiving any income. Plus advertising revenue is based on ho people will watch something live – not hwo many will potenitally watch it on video or download it.

    My comment about the minority is based on the fact that only about 40% of the population are aged between 25-55 and not all of them would even knwo what a torrent is?

    Look at the end of the day, the enetertainment industry has to take some responsibiltiy and come up with a way to prevent downloads. I think they are taking a slack approach to it. Retailers prevent shoplifitng by having security tags and things that beep at the front door. So, the entertainment inductry must come up with something similar (that can’t be hacked)??

  9. Also, free to air networks buy the right to air programs from the copyright owner (producers, etc). They are free to air, not because the program costs nothing, but because the network recoups its expense by selling advertising. The cost of ad space is based on the estimated number of viewers, based on ratings the program received.

    If you download a torrent, it is usually without advertisements, meaning the companies that basically paid for you to watch the show free on FTA get no benefit. So you are stealing the program from the companies that paid for you to watch it.

    You are also stealing from the network itself: Downloading a torrent does not count towards the ratings for the program, meaning lower ratings, meaning advertising spots become cheaper, meaning the show does not generate as much revenue for the network.

    You are also cheating yourself out of a show you like to watch: programs that do not generate revenue for the network are likely to be cancelled or not renewed.

  10. Tony & Kate i agree with you on some points but Greg i agree with you on most.

    What is the difference between…… Me taping the show on a dvd and giving it to a friend to watch cause he/she missed it…… and Me downloading the show from someone else that has recorded it and put it on the internet…… They are the same thing just on a bigger scale…. I didnt get in trouble last time i gave my my a copy of Spicks & Specks that i taped cause she missed it.

    I totally agree that downloading movies is illegal as they are not freely available but i have never understood how downloading FTA tv shows can be classed as illegal.

    Oh and Tony & Kate i would call it a “minority” as i think u will find anyone in the younger generation (plus some from the older generation) that has a computer and a broadband connection is doing it!!

  11. Greg, the legality is distribution. yes we are allowed to copy programs for private use in our home (DVD/VCR/IQ etc). However, copying something and then disseminating it is illegal regardless of wether you charge for it or not (torrents).

    I am not sure what ABC Radio program you were listening to but I can assure you that all TV, movies, music etc.. is copyright unless (1) it is realesed under creative commons license or (2) it has entered the public domain (the artist/creator/copyright owner has been dead for greater than 50 years).

    Torrents may be a way of life for the minority but it doesn’t make it right. If you download copyright material (movies, TV, music etc), why not bypass your electricity meter?, why not shoplift?, why not cheat at school/uni?, why not steal cars?.. If it doesn’t hurt anyone directly (i.e. assault, murder etc) why not do it??? Is this the society we are becoming? Is this the type of attitude you want to become ‘normal’ for your children?

  12. Welcome to the world (and the anomalies) of copyright law. As I’m not a lawyer I don’t wish to give out incorrect advice, suffice to say that owning a DVD burner for example, is not license to duplicate copyright material.

    Try: http://www.copyright.org.au

    This site is reporting current news and there are many who believe the court system has not caught up with technology.

  13. David, it is FTA, what copyright does a torrent have that a VCR/DVD rec doesnt have? I heard on ABC Radio once that FTA has been shown FREE and therefore is not copyright. What is IQ? How come we can record on there? A torrent is just recorded stuff being passed to the ones who cant record or watch. If it is so illegal, why mention it at all on here? Torrents are now a way of life.

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