Game of Thrones‘ blood-soaked fourth-season finale set a new record on Monday for online piracy with about 1.5 million downloads in the first 12 hours following its original airing, many of those made by Australians. Weighing in on the heated piracy debate, consumer advocate Choice says Foxtel only has itself to blame for these figures.
Foxtel, Australia’s only pay TV service who own the Game of Thrones Australian broadcast rights, says about 500,000 Australians watch each episode via a paid subscription while the same number download it illegally, mostly through torrenting.
Speaking to the ABC’s 730 Report, Choice’s spokesperson Erin Turner pointed squarely at Foxtel’s “outdated business model” saying they only have themselves to blame. “It expects people to pay for a whole range of products when they may want [just] one. You’re getting Real Housewives of every city, rather than just Game of Thrones, which you want,” she told 7.30.
Foxtel’s exclusive deal with HBO means that other online providers, such as iTunes, can’t offer the show until the season has ended, forcing viewers to turn to alternative methods. “It also locks people into viewing content on particular devices,” continues Turner. “Ultimately the problem is there are few competitors to Foxtel in Australia.”
The argument has yet to sway Foxtel chief Bruce Meagher. “I can’t think of any other circumstance where you would say, ‘I think you charge too much for this product, therefore it is legitimate to steal it’,” he told 7.30. “There’s a moral disconnect there which I just don’t get.” Choice has since released a statement responding to the claims made on last night’s 7.30, confirming that they do not advocate piracy but do support better competition for the consumer.
The comments come as Foxtel and Choice are engaged in an advocacy battle about what the federal government should do to address Australia’s high rate of piracy.
