Comments on: Your advice for Pirate Bay’s new owners? But meanwhile, how about insider trading accusations against the buyers?

By: David Rothman

David Rothman — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:08:54 +0000

Heck, Greg, it depends on whether the ads are obnoxious. Certainly targeting would be more precise than with paperbacks.

Meanwhile please note that there have been accusations of insider stock trading. I have no idea if they’re founded. But I’ve just updated the item to reflect that.

Thanks,
David

By: Greg M.

Greg M. — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:49:11 +0000

@”4. Team up with publishers to develop appropriate ad-supported books.”

Without any concrete plans to review, I’d have to nix the idea of ad-supported books just on the principle of the idea. I just don’t think there would be an acceptable business model were I’d read books with ads.

I can remember when some paperbacks had a one page cigarette ad in the middle, but I would guess a modern ad agency would want something more and would probably demand marketing data from bookseller to target ads to the specific buyer. I would not want those books.

By: David Rothman

David Rothman — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:45:29 +0000

Thanks, TRBC, but remember that the new owners have lots of marketing experience, including the kind with free content. In fact, this is probably the logic behind the acquisition---to use the expertise with the Bay's huge userbase. Many will stop going to the bay. But if the transition is done well, many could also remain behind. Again, as I've noted, this is a hardly sure-fire thing, but not impossible to pull off. See the buyer's news release on plans for the site. Thanks, David

By: TheRealBillC

TheRealBillC — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:37:02 +0000

I think one of the fundamental problems with the Pirate Bay transition is that publishers and owners of content will not listen to them. Why should they? Because as a “free site” they got a lot of hits? That won’t translate to the new model. The Pirate Bay has nothing to sell that publishers and copyright owners would want to buy. The Pirate Bay knows nothing about marketing product, collecting fees for service, or distributing paid content. The Pirate Bay never had any content, never hosted content, always assumed an advisarial relationship with copyright owners and enforcers, and generally thumbed their nose at these groups. What was supposedly the Pirate Bay’s strength was that it was a shell game, that same thing will be it’s geatest weakness as it tries to transition. That and it’s former users. Who really thinks either of these groups are going to embrace the Pirate Bay, even if it has new owners?

By: David Rothman

David Rothman — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:43:27 +0000

I agree 100 percent with you, Steve, that this will be a difficult transition, and I’ve noted this.

BUT remember that the buyer is an advertising company and probably has more than a little experience with free content.

So this could buy time while the new owners worked with content providers to sell previously pirated books and other content.

Hardly a sure thing! But not impossible.

Thanks,
David

By: Steve Jordan

Steve Jordan — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:30:45 +0000

How many websites, which started out as illegitimate sites, have managed to successfully transition to legitimate sites? Not many. Most cannot overcome the crushing weight of their former users, who rail against “forced legitimacy” and either bury them under bad PR, or do their damndest to subvert their new systems. And in the meantime, new sites quickly side-step them and take over the market.

I personally doubt Pirate Bay has legs. More than likely, any attempt to transform it to something else will be attacked by new and former users, demanding “free or nothing” products, while another site will step up, free of that past baggage, and make its mark.

My advice: Give up on PB, create a new site, and use “Pirate Bay” as a game title.