The Hindu : Karnataka News : `Bill to curb video piracy soon'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 11, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

`Bill to curb video piracy soon'

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, MARCH 10. The State Government has promised the film industry that it will introduce a Bill in the budget session of the legislature to curb the increasing audio-video piracy of film songs and sequences, according to the president of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), H.D. Gangaraj.

Mr. Ganagraj told presspersons after meeting the Minister for Information and Publicity, B. Shivaram, here today that the Government is formulating the Bill on the lines of the recently enacted legislation in Tamil Nadu on exhibition of films on the television network, including cable TV network.

S.R. Govindu and Ramu, producers of the yet-to-be-released films "Gunna" and "Rakshasa," respectively, said Kannada film producers are losing crores of rupees on account of unchecked piracy of audio-video cassettes and CDs (compact discs).

Recently in Mysore, the police seized pirated CDs that contained hit songs from both released and unreleased films and related publicity material worth over Rs. 35 lakhs. Normally, an original and quality assured Kannada film music CD is priced between Rs .50 and Rs. 60, as it demands sound investment. But a pirated and non-guaranteed CD is priced between Rs. 25 and Rs. 30, as pirating and marketing do not require any investment, they explained.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka