@YesuWangu and @KenyanLyrics thanks for the comments.

@KenyanLyrics, yes, there will always be people who would rather just pay, than spending time downloading, just as there will always be people that prefer a good DJ rather than creating their own music mix tapes or playlists. There is certainly a market there, but for movies that would be more along the lines of DSTV or the on-demand value-add services that I had been telling SafCom to look into- but only because they already have the ICT and Communications infrastructure pretty much already built-out. Setting up a Netflix post the global economic meltdown is a very bad idea, if even possible at this point, if you don't already have infrastructure built out. For it to profit it would have to have tens of thousands of users. In order to have tens of thousands of users, you need to have a billion shillings in servers, bandwidth, network and datacenter infrastructure, storage, personnel, advertising, etc etc. I don't know many investors willing to put up that kind of money for a business that will sit in the red for five years now-a-days, especially in East Africa, where businesses are valued on actual performance and revenues, not on dreams and emotions a la Wall Street.

Not to mention cultural differences in purchasing patterns. EA has more of a top-up culture- top up phone minutes, top up data, even top-up power or water. If I don't need it, don't top it up. The USA has more of the pre-pay culture- pay every month even if it isn't used. Commit to paying for years. It's a bill. It's why you work long hours every day.

Best,

Hill

Why would anyone pay for downloads when there is thepiratebay.org? not to be confused with piratebay.com?

Yes it is illegal, and I certainly don't condone illegal activity, but are you being serious? Crack down on Kenya? To collect what from whom? That's really a joke.

What is so very interesting to me is that this is rampant here in the US, as is all sorts of flagrant copyright and patent violations, but, what can you do? Sue everyone, every bar, every club, every company with phone-on-hold music in court?

If anyone is cracking down in Kenya, they are likely keeping the money they collect. Do you really think that they are sending royalties to ASCAP, BMI, Sony Pictures Distro, etc? Just enough to get the next 35mm reel if you have a movie house; for everything else, highly unlikely.

What about China, where almost any and everything thing is sold on DVD on the streets for a dollar? Where patented items are counterfeited and manufactured by the millions, on the very same lines and in the very same factories (and many times to the very same specs) as the "real, genuine" items.

I find it comical that someone could actually fear US copyright holders taking legal action halfway around the world. It's certainly interesting; the fear of "big brother". There's simply far more important "crack downs" that they would attempt first, and against places with far more money.

And do you think that a guy in Kenya that is just trying to start a business, get a few shillings, and be somewhat successful is going to loose sleep over this?

Doubtful. I can hear the Russians and Nigerians laughing as we speak.

Best,

Hill

@Jasonhill your argument is a classic case of availability bias: where someone believes that what happens to them in their environment, applies to everyone. I have posted a link showing to you clear facts that Netflix is beating torrents in the movie sector, and you still come back and argue that since you and your friends are torrenting, then the facts are wrong. Google "techcrunch say what music sales 2004" and you will see an article that shows that iTunes has also defeated the pirates in the music biz. Just because you and your friends are torrenting doesn't mean there is no market. Stick to the facts.

Can you give me ONE example of where the US RIAA has come after and successfully sued ONE person in Kenya for copyright infringement in the last 2 years, leading to imprisonment and the actual collection of any monies?

And Nexflix just DOUBLED their prices. Do you think that will have no affect on their subscriber base?

Also, how many Netflix users are there in Kenya?

And what you are saying makes no sense- Netflix "defeated" pirates? iTunes "beat" pirates? So pirating has stopped? Beat them how? A pirate pays NOTHING regardless of what iTunes or Netflix does. Do you REALLY consider a guy with a kiosk in Nairobi selling bootleg DVDs in direct competition with iTunes or Netflix? Do you see them being prosecuted and money collected from them from judgements in the courts? Any pirated sale is a LOSS for iTunes, Netflix, distributors. A sale by a legit distributor is not a loss for a pirate, as they have no money acutally spent or vested- they are getting their wares for free.

You are arguing something on a local US level has nothing to do whatsoever with the "price of tea in Kenya". If you think that Netflix or iTunes is a business model that will work in Kenya, then by all means, try it out. I will make sure to be present at the liquidation.

You are spooked by the big bad West boogie-man that has no bearing whatsoever on what actually happens on the streets of Kenya, beyond what your own fear may convince you to, or not to do.

If I fly in a plane, it COULD crash. Hasn't stopped aviation.

I do my own business not in fear of jurisdictions that have no control over what I do. How can you possibly fear a jurisdiction that you are not doing business in?

This is WAZUA. Here, WE TALK MONEY without fear, and if you ain't about gettin' this money, get over to Mashada.

But you know I still have mad love for you KL.

Best,

Hill