MPAA launches website to promote legal access to movies, TV shows

Hollywood studios are employing a new tool in their efforts to fight piracy: persuasion.

After waging an unsuccessful effort last year to introduce legislation that would crack down on websites offering illegal copies of movies and TV shows, studios are taking a different approach.

The Motion Picture Assn. of America, the trade group for the major studios, on Wednesday announced the launch of a new website that will serve as a one-stop shop for audiences looking for legal ways to watch movies and TV shows over the Internet.

The website, at www.WheretoWatch.org, lists various services such as Amazon, Netflix and Hulu, summarizing what each platform provides, including what content is available, how it is supported, and what devices are compatible.

The hope is that providing consumers with legal alternatives for consuming entertainment on multiple platforms will prevent people from being tempted to get their movies and TV shows from websites that offer illegal downloads, which have been the scourge of the entertainment industry.

“There have never been more ways to access movies and television legitimately online, and those platforms continue to grow and develop thanks in large part to a copyright system that encourages innovation, risk and growth,” MPAA Chairman and former U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd said in a statement. “The companies I represent are committed to continuing to create and develop the best ways for audiences to enjoy the entertainment they love.”

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