East Carolinian

Issue date: 11/18/08 Section: Features

Media Credit: staff photo

Watching movies online has become more and more popular in recent years. And it's not just limited to movies-- now you can also see full-length episodes of your favorite sitcoms. For those that don't have DVR or TiVo, this is the next best thing. Is watching movies online illegal? What about episodes of "The Simpsons"? Why watch movies online? What are some of the sites where movies can be watched legally?

Viewing movies online is not illegal. However, there is always the possibility that movies and TV shows available on various Web sites might have been obtained illegally. In this case, the site is held responsible, not the viewer.

Many of the movies and shows posted to these Web sites are illegal because the rights have not been obtained from the key copyright holder, who holds the permission for a movie to be shown free online.

On some Web sites, where newly released movies are being hosted, it doesn't take long until it is removed for copyright infringement.

However, while movies can be problematic to watch legally online, television episodes are getting easier to view for free.

In spite of the illegal uploading of films or television shows, many networks are hosting their own. NBC, CBS and Fox now allow viewers who have missed their favorite episodes to log onto their official Web site and watch them at their convenience. Watching television episodes online was once illegal-like movies-but with the networks themselves hosting freely accessible high quality videos that has become something of the past.

How do networks afford to host free episode viewings online? The same way they afford to show it on television-with advertisements. Many episodes viewed online are brought to you by a company with limited commercials.

Why watch movies online? For some watching movies online is a cheap way of viewing movies that they aren't sure they want to pay to see.

"There are many movies out there that look good in previews but once you paid the seven to 10 dollars [to see it], it turns out to be one of the worst movies out," said sophomore Leann Webb. "In order to avoid this if I suspect a movie to be bad I'll watch it online and save the money. If I know a movie will be good or at least worth the risk then I will shovel out the money to see it."

"With the economy in such a disaster and most college students out of a job, it only seems reasonable to watch movies online," said sophomore Leigh Murphy.

If you are going to be watching movies legally then most likely you will have to pay a fee, like with Netflix or Blockbuster Online. The movies that are available most likely will not be newly-released-to-DVD movie titles but still offer a good variety. If you want to watch newer movies that might still be in theaters illegally there are many options: www.watch-movies.net, www.movie6.net, www.surfthechannel.com-and there are many more than can be found via a search engine. If you truly enjoy a movie, I would suggest buying some merchandise or something similar to help pay for the service you received.



This writer can be contacted at features@theeastcarolinian.com.

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