Advertisement

MPA exec urges China to revamp film market

BEIJING, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- The head of the Motion Picture Association's Asia division has openly asked Chinese government officials to foster a more legitimate film industry.

The Times of London reported MPA exec Mike Ellis has asked China to cease limiting imported films and crack down more on the rampant DVD piracy in the Asian country.

Advertisement

"It's the worst piracy problem I have in Asia, unquestionably," Ellis explained.

Ellis said such counterfeiting efforts cost U.S. film studios $244 million last year in lost revenue and pirated DVDs of box office hits such as "Casino Royale" hit China within a day of release.

Such counterfeiting has also resulted in $1.2 billion in lost potential sales in Asia alone and a total of $6.1 billion in losses worldwide.

The MPA exec told The Times the problem has become so rampant that it is more profitable to sell pirated DVDs in London than to sell heroin.

Latest Headlines