ShunTV (
http://tracker.shuntv.net/browse.php) is down. So is btefnet. My painful withdrawal from Jon Stewart is about to begin. MPAA went after TV show downloaders/swappers, and my only remaining link to the world of television is about to be cut off. I don't know which position The Daily Show producers are taking on this; I don't know what Jon himself thinks. Here's what I think.
- This sucks
- No matter what they do, nobody orders basic cable just for TDS.
- The only way expatriates or non-americans get to see the show is over the internet
- The only way to see a missed show is over the internet
- There will never be a TDS DVD (other than maybe "The best of")
- TDS has huge college following, which is now going to dry up
- News (arguably even fake news) probably falls under fair use doctrine protection anyway
- This sucks!
I am writing a letter to Jon and to TDS producers.
I am asking them to express their view on the MPAA action, and on whether they have any problem with torrent sites carrying their content. Maybe they could ask the torrent uploaders to keep the ads in? Or maybe host the tracker themselves? Would they authorise a fan club where the shows could be swapped?