Protection Of Movies, Music, and Video Games from Piracy To Be Addressed at VSDAís Home Entertainment 2004; Leaders In Entertainment Industry To Discuss Impact Of Piracy And Solutions During Opening Session

29-Jun-04

""Protecting Our Treasure - An In-Depth Look at Piracy in the Entertainment Industry"" will be the focus of the Opening Session at the annual video industry confab on July 14, 2004 at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino in Las Vegas. The announcement was made today by Bo Andersen, President of the Video Software Dealers Association (VSDA). ""Piracy, or more accurately, the theft of our capital assets, is the gravest threat confronting the entertainment industry,"" Andersen declared. ""It menaces every segment of the industry. Piracy is an attack on all of us, and we must be united in our response."" Entertainment trade association leaders and other experts in the field of entertainment piracy will talk about its current cost to the industry, what's being done to stop it, and what should be done to prevent it from escalating in the future. Panelists scheduled to appear include: ï Fritz E. Attaway, Executive Vice President for Government Relations and Washington General Counsel for the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA)ï John Fithian, President of the National Association of Theatre Ownersï Matt Oppenheim, partner at Jenner & Block with the firm's Entertainment and New Media Practice divisionï Jonathan Potter, Executive Director of the Digital Media Associationï Barry Fox, a London-based journalist expert in consumer and entertainment technologyï VSDA President Bo Andersen.  ABC special news correspondent Robert Krulwich will moderate this discussion.Not counting Internet-enabled theft, the MPAA estimates that piracy costs studios approximately $3-4 billion worldwide. This figure does not include estimated losses to U.S. retailers. VSDA conservatively estimates U.S. retailer losses to online and disc piracy at more than $1 billion. ìThis multi-billion dollar problem needs to be addressed by the industry through coordinated education and enforcement and by providing consumers with lawful alternatives to stealing,"" Andersen said. ""Everyone involved in the creation, distribution, exhibition, sale, and rental of entertainment products should be involved in the solution. I am very pleased, therefore, that so many leaders in our industry will be taking part in this important discussion.""For more information, please visit www.HomeEntertainmentEvents.com.

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