Piracy In Thomas (by ThomasFan3000)

Here, I select a topic which everyone acknowledges, but people rarely speak about. Its sort of taboo to touch, and at the same time, very common around every franchise. Here's my take on "Piracy In Thomas" - where I try to lay out all the facts, but the conclusion is upon you. 




Full Declaration: This article is not against anyone who uploads episodes on any platforms. This is merely meant for information and knowledge, and is not against anyone, not targeted at any particular person. The views below are purely my own and no-one else’s.

Is it alarming for the team that a whole special gets uploaded in its m4v (iTunes) format in three hours of being released? Is it alarming for the team that YouTube is no less than filled with full HD recordings of episodes after only two hours of their original airing? Probably not… It is basic knowledge that Thomas & Friends isn’t the only show that suffers this. It can be music, apps, movies - released in the cinemas even, that show up on different internet platforms in unimaginably small amounts of time after their release. But, it is also an argument that Thomas’ “rips” are way easily accessible, being on one of the easiest and simplest platforms - that is, YouTube.

You certainly won’t find anything else there. You wouldn’t find a Big Bang Theory episode, or a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle episode in full HD on YouTube. Heck, Thomas episodes out there even have subtitles. And who’s the audience? Thomas Fans. People who love the show, who have toys and collectibles… Hopefully, most of them still buy the DVDs when they come out?

But wouldn’t it be obvious that it could be accessible to everyone? A parent would obviously think it better to let their kid watch his/her favourite show for free on YouTube, instead of paying a few dollars or pounds? Or would they? People still do buy DVDs, watch on TV, they purchase Digital Downloads, they do that. But, I bet Thomas’ US or UK sales would almost double if the piracy would stop (?). Though, as far as I know, most Thomas Fans do go out and buy the DVDs, once they come out - so that’s that. But do all of them? Certainly, they wouldn’t. Seeing an episode on YouTube, they don’t like it, they of course wouldn’t like to buy its DVD. But had the episodes not been on YouTube…?



Moreover, there’s a part that Mattel plays here. Its bound to happen if you don’t release or air things at the same time around the world. Knowing there are dying Thomas Fans out there for new content, giving it three months earlier to a country is bound to literally invite piracy, even on such an easy platform like YouTube. While people would have to search a while on the internet to find copies of Camera recordings of a new movie, a new Thomas episode would be sitting right in front of them on YouTube. So, could this problem be solved by putting out content everywhere at the same time? Half of it, yes. But Mattel surely couldn’t put it out at the same time, everywhere. 

Take my example: I live in India, where the only airings we get are repeats from Season eleven, twelve and thirteen. Isn’t it obvious I am going to turn to YouTube for new content? And when a DVD costs me a whole actual 47 pounds to get it to my house, with taxes and what-not, why would I not just watch it on YouTube? But Mattel surely couldn’t confirm to put out new episodes/specials everywhere at the same time. 

And then to TV airings… I’m half sure more people watch the episode on YouTube than on actual TV. Its gonna be recorded, they know. People from other countries’ only source is YouTube. And its very obvious we’d want the new things when they’re gonna air after a whole four months for us. And maybe, for some of us, never? So, yes, we’re definitely gonna go on YouTube and watch.




Is it wrong? Is it right? You decide. The facts are facts that Mattel isn’t putting out new content at the same time, and not all content is available everywhere. Hell, UK hasn’t gotten even half of Season 20 on its TV, yet. What do you expect from them other than watch it on YouTube? 




And here’s another aspect, one which I was very badly involved with last year, and turned about a fourth of the community “against” me: cinema recordings. We all know how 45 minutes of The Great Race actually went public on YouTube, days before its digital release. Am I in any position to say its wrong? Are any of us? 

And why doesn’t Mattel put more restrictions on public uploads on these things? Many other companies do… I don’t know. I’m no-one to say piracy in Thomas is wrong. I watch episodes on YouTube all the time. What am I supposed to do else? Watch the Season 11 repeats on my channels? Pay 50 pounds for a DVD whose episodes went public in a country four months ago? I don’t know.

Maybe its totally wrong. The people deserve to be paid for their creativity, their extreme hard work. Looking at it that way, Piracy should be completely ridiculed. But the fact is that most still buy the DVDs even though the episodes are available on YouTube… so that’s a completely bright side. And moreover, in this world where you can find literally anything on the internet, it seems like this piracy is only too common.

Here, I will also thank those who make the episodes reach everyone, because without those who record the episodes and upload them, I’d practically never be able to see them. 




But, I’d also like to suggest Mattel to make their content available in more and more countries, as much as possible. I’d also like to appreciate them about their extreme hard work, and making the franchise so beautiful, so memorable in many ways but one. Thank You, to the whole team behind Thomas…




What do you think about Piracy In Thomas? Tweet with #TNPiracyInThomas…

Thanks for reading.

-ThomasFan3000.

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