DVD and video industry group the Japan Video Software Association (JVA) has issued a long and unambiguously worded complaint to the effect that personal recording of shows, particularly anime, damages its potential bottom line, so can’t something be done to rectify this, preferably involving payout to the JVA.
Close reading of their demands in fact reveals their sales are healthy, but they are being damaged “potentially”.
Their basic contention is that potential profits are adversely affected by private duplication (note the “potential” part); they don’t even bother to particularly blame the Internet, and they are coy over what kind of arrangement they would like to see.
“The influence of personal recording on DVD sales is large, so even without any reduction in sales compensation is required.”
Emphasis deserves to be put on the “even without any reduction in sales” – so in fact their sales are health but they would still like to see a levy or somesuch; commendably honest of them. Who wouldn’t like to receive a levy for the sales they haven’t lost?
Interestingly, we hear in passing just how much profit comes in from overseas, in an interview with the head of Production IG:
“Even with a property with mediocre viewership like Blood+, we still were in the black, especially overseas. Lately anime sold to the American market is said to be from $20,000 to $30,000, but we sold Blood+ for more than twice that.”
They are also said to rely on the long-term popularity of their properties, with rereleases and the like possible many years on for popular products.
In essence, their business model is said to be buying broadcast slots with no real revenue, and then going on to sell DVDs and engage in other merchandising.
Gigazine covers the matter in great detail.
This seems to be more of a wishlist than an actually realisable policy, but similar arrangements have come to pass in such nations as Germany or Canada, so it may be unwise to underestimate the power of a jaded industry lobby.
Epic fail. Earning money based on potential damage is just weak.
Moar numbers plox