Movie labels pushing “no rental period”

They’ll never learn…

The entire world is running towards digital, yet the few greedy suits who control major movie labels as well as their bass akwards business models refuse to die. The movie labels are toying with a “no rental” plan that would prevent new movie releases from being rentable for up to a month after a purchase only release. Fine, be that way. I’ll torrent it for the pain in the ass you caused me. Or I’ll *gasp* wait an extra month, rent it, and then copy it. Such reactions aren’t solely my own. I know many will be fed up with increasing stupidity that oozes from such organizations.

Faced with declining physical DVD sales, movie execs are looking for ways to continue their old, monopolistic, price gouging tactics they’ve enjoyed for decades. This new fangled digital revolution has slashed manufacturing and distribution costs which leads to lower retail prices and ultimately lower profits. So far, only an intelligent few have begun experimenting with various digital and paid – free pricing schemes to get the most of this new medium — again, something labels are highly resisting.

When will they realize they will never be able to charge the same for a digital product (with much lower production/distrobution costs) as they do for physical media (higher production/distribution costs)?

The business plan of such labels in the future will consist of much smaller, leaner, and more technically savvy individuals who actually have a clue about the market they cater to, their audience, and the wants of that audience. For now, were stuck watching old business die. It’s for the better. They’re holding back innovation and technological progress.

**Note to labels: Accept digital already. Regardless if you do or not, it will win. We will get along just fine without you. Do you want to be on the winning side? Or are you going to slowly kill yourself ultimately ending on the losing side?

Slashdot > LA Times

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