YouTube eating into Malay filmmakers' profits

Kuala Lumpur, Dec 16 (ANI): Movie producers in Malaysia made a startling discovery that there is a new kind of piracy going around which they had not been aware off.

The piracy they found was being conducted by YouTube, which is releasing all new movies through its site and making off with their profit.

"YouTube is eating into our profits," New Straits Times Online quoted film producer David Teo as saying.

According to him, all films produced by his company, MIG Film, were available on YouTube, and the list included current releases like 'Congkak' and 'I'm Not Single'.

"The movies were uploaded one or two days after the original DVDs and VCDs were released on the market. Some titles have not even been shown on television," he said.

Teo also said that members of the public were doing the illegal uploading of movies on YouTube, and a check on YouTube showed that almost all current Malaysian movies are available for viewing.

"This is bad news because it will affect the sales of VCD and DVD releases," he stated.

He said he had brought up the matter with YouTube but had not received any feedback.

"The funny thing is that no Hollywood movies are uploaded on YouTube," he added.

Teo urged the Malaysian Film Producers Association and the Malaysian Film Development Corporation to look into the matter. (ANI)