Swapping "Real" DVDs for Pirated Ones ... What's the Point?

I guess I don't see the point of this. A company based in the eastern city of Nanjing, with the support of the city government, will swap one "real" movie DVD for every three pirated copies that are brought in.

One former seller of pirated products had handed over more than 20,000 discs, the newspaper said. Source: Reuters

So, what is the point of this? Those who don't participate in the program will still be selling their wares at $1 per DVD or less, so anyone participating in this program, I would think, would stand to lose sales unless they continue to sell at that price. I doubt anyone in China really cares if their money buys them a pirated copy or a real one.

In my cynical mindset, I see the point to this as being a way for China to soothe the ruffled feathers of American companies who are upset at all the piracy. "Look at what we're doing!" In reality I just don't see it working.

Of course, this doesn't bother me anywhere near as much as the story I wrote on RealTechNews in April. Warner Home Video has just launched that program in China. I mean, as I said then ... if they can offer it priced that low in China, they can do so here ... they don't because they can get away with it. How fair is that?

Tags: DVDs, Piracy, China