Is Downloading TV Shows Wrong?

by Joe on February 4, 2007

in Geeky

I often wonder if downloading my favorite television episodes is wrong. My goal is to find out a solution for this problem, for free of course. I’m open to commentary on the subject as well.

Downloading TV shows via the BitTorrent feels like swimming in the pool of immorality. I know the stance the MPAA and RIAA take toward distribution of MP3s and movies, is that you are not allowed to redistribute them, let alone having them in digital formats.

Who regulates or enforces the copyrights of TV shows? The FCC regulates the broadcast of these shows; yet the copyright notification says “No unauthorized retransmission … ” somewhere on it. If anything, letting fans download your episodes and fill their computer should be a media executive’s dream come true.

For some reason I feel dirty download the shows, but not sure why. Is it my internal digital conscience? Do I feel remorse for TV advertisers? Have I gone mad? In the mean time, let me share with you some resources in downloading TV shows on the Internet.

  • Torrentspy — A search engine of BitTorrent trackers and files. Simply, if you wanted just search for the TV show and you will have access to viewing a lot of results. The advertisements may not be SFW.
  • Torrentz — A Torrent search engine, a cleaner layout and SFW.
  • Azureus — The best BitTorrent Client, the program you need to download shows.
  • BitTorrent — Find out all about the BitTorrent protocol and how it works.

I’m interested in finding out if it is wrong to download TV episodes and why?
[tags]Internet, Downloading, Piracy, Morals, BitTorrent, Television, TV, Question[/tags]

Tagged as: Government, internet, Politics, tv, web

  • Sam
    I certainly hope it's not illegal or I am a criminal. One thing they should know is I wouldn't be watching half the shows that I am had I not downloaded a few shows here and there first. After all, who wants to start a series if they completely missed the first season? Nobody! Well what if you had a way to catch up? You do! The networks have done a terrible job of making this possible but people (uploaders/downloaders) stepped in and fixed it for them. As far as the sites that have video on demand, I think this is great but you can't back track. Most of these sites just show the most recent show leaving you where you started.. lost.. wondering wtf happened previously in the series, not to mention you can't go full screen on half of these sites. Now comes the issue of ratings, if a torrent tracking site can keep up with the ratio's of each and every individual that uses the site.. Couldn't the broadcast companies do the same? In effect, giving them there much needed ratings? Not only do I think they could, I know they could. As for me.. as long as I'm paying $150 dollar cable bill.. I feel that I have fair use, if I want to download what I can watch at home.. I will.. and no sir.. I am not a criminal. Just the concept of putting someone in a court room over downloading is rediculous. Can't we be wasting our elected officials time and tax payers money on bigger better things?
  • Here is a site I'm working on for downloading tv shows. http://shareTV.org

    To this point I don't believe anyone has been in any kind of legal trouble for downloading publicly aired tv shows (not pay-only channels like HBO).

    I think as long as people don't abuse it (download missed episodes and still watch on tv, or buy the dvd), then this will actually help the networks and everybody wins.
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