Statement from Senator Chris Dodd on the Release of the USTR’s Notorious Markets Report
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 5, 2015
Statement from Senator Chris Dodd on the Release of the USTR’s Notorious Markets Report
Report Details Infringing Markets that Undermine U.S. Competitiveness and Curb the Growth of Legitimate Distribution Platforms
WASHINGTON – Today, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) released the results of their Special 301 Out-of-Cycle Review of Notorious Markets for 2014, identifying marketplaces around the world that facilitate the distribution of infringing content and services. In response to a request for public comments for this report, the MPAA filed formal comments to the USTR in October of last year. The following is a statement from Senator Chris Dodd, MPAA Chairman and CEO, on today’s report:
“The film and television industry contributes to the U.S. economy enormously, exporting six times what it imports and supporting close to 2 million American jobs. This commerce is founded on the protection of IP rights, which encourages both artistic creativity and the continued growth of the already more than 400 legitimate digital distribution services worldwide.
However, the infringing marketplaces listed in the USTR report – many of which exist online -undermine this framework that benefits both content creators and consumers. These notorious markets enable the theft of content on a massive scale, diminishing U.S. competitiveness, discouraging reinvestment from creators, and ultimately harming the consumer experience. We’d like to thank the USTR for publishing this important report that highlights the challenges content creators face, and we remain committed to working with all members of the online ecosystem to encourage conditions that enable the continued growth of legitimate marketplaces.”
About the MPAA
The Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. (MPAA) serves as the voice and advocate of the American motion picture, home video and television industries from its offices in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Its members include: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures; Paramount Pictures Corporation; Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.; Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation; Universal City Studios LLC; and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
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For more information, contact:
MPAA Washington, D.C.
Kate Bedingfield
(202) 293-1966
Kate_Bedingfield@motionpictures.org