A new report from PwC has found that the price of content is the key driver for piracy despite the amount of ways to access content.The survey unearthed a fundamental belief that buying hard copies or paying to download content is either unnecessary or has become too expensive. More than half of consumers who said they pirate don’t feel the need to own a physical copy such as a DVD. Furthermore, even though many said costs to buy or download content—especially movies—is high, most said they do not pirate in an effort to detract from studio profits.
Interestingly, the growing number of ad-supported websites is contributing to increased piracy. Such sites may be causing confusion as to what is pirated content and what is legitimate, free content.
The vast majority (81%) of those admitting to pirating TV, movie, and video content such as UGC, mash-ups, and YouTube content said that they would likely continue to do so, even though two-thirds worried about potential legal actions or downloading a virus by doing so.
In its report, PwC warns that the advanced use of multiplatform solutions will be another driver of privacy with, in particular, mobile piracy poised to escalate as already consumers say they use mobile devices, such as smart phones, to access pirated content.
The analyst highlighted that potential business models that call for charging consumers a significant up-charge to access content sooner than traditional release windows allow may not appeal to these consumers, who strongly desire free content.
On a brighter note for content owners, there was a general acceptance of paying for content rather than piracy per se. Yet most say that they’d only be willing to pay a maximum of $3 for a movie and $1 for a television show. Furthermore, 83% of those willing to pay want the content within one month of the theatrical release window. Nearly three-quarters (76%) said they are somewhat willing to pay a nominal fee if the content can be accessed closer to its release date.
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