Movies in TV Lounges

Bayesian Extremist · Post by **Bayesian Extremist** » October 10, 2004, 2:24 am

I got this in an email from my hall director over the break. Has anyone else here seen anything like this?

-------------------------------------------
From: ########
Sent: Wednesday, October 06, 2004 3:22:53 PM
To: ########
Subject: New policy

I hope you are all getting ready to enjoy your long weekend! I am very jealous!!

I have received some information that I need to share with you and I have decided to send you all an email so that there is no confusion.

Universities across the country are cracking down on issues concerning copy righted materials. This also includes showing movies in public or common areas – such as TV lounges. So, we will no longer be able to watch movies in the rec room. If you want to watch a movie with a group of people you need to do it in someone’s room. You will only be able to check out the DVD player if you take it to your room. This also means that RA’s and Hall Council can no longer sponsor movie nights like the one we has last weekend. I know that this will be frustrating for some of you because there are such large groups that like to watch movies downstairs. Please understand that this is a situation that is beyond the University’s control. This is a legal issue and there is no way around it.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about this, please feel free to see me. You can call the front desk and set an appointment or call my office.

Enjoy your long weekend!

Hall Director, ########
Southwest Missouri State University
(417)83#-####

rchif0 · Post by **rchif0** » October 10, 2004, 10:16 am

That's actually.. pretty lame. It's not like it's being done for profit.

the_red_chimp · Post by **the_red_chimp** » October 10, 2004, 5:35 pm

I hate Capitalism.

Chreteau · Post by **Chreteau** » October 10, 2004, 6:11 pm

the_red_chimp wrote:I hate Capitalism.

You're just saying that because I'm black.

SMS Hold'em · Post by **SMS Hold'em** » October 10, 2004, 8:24 pm

Well I am the community service chair for Freddy Hall Council and I ran into the same problem last week when I tried to show Fahrenheit 9-11 in our grand lounge for a program I put on. As of one hour before the showing we canceled the program untill I was able to get on Mr. Moores web site and got permission. If you can get this or find out that its cool to be shown in public you can still do it but its kinda diffcult to find.

the_red_chimp · Post by **the_red_chimp** » October 10, 2004, 8:27 pm

Fahrenheit 9/11. How's that for fair and balanced?

Regardless, the guy encouraged pirating it.

SMS Hold'em · Post by **SMS Hold'em** » October 10, 2004, 8:30 pm

It wasn't a program directed at anyone. It's a movie that drew out 150 people to get them regastered, which I am prowd to say we got 30 new voters and thats what its about. There are plans in the works for show FahrenHYPE 9/11 out of fairness for those who belive is is bised. My post though was the simple idea there are ways around this BUll SHit that the campus has to use.

the_red_chimp · Post by **the_red_chimp** » October 10, 2004, 8:33 pm

For those who believe it is biased? What part of that film isn't biased? The credits? Great, 30 half informed voters. Happy day.

*voting Bush to piss you whiny liberals off*

Post by **Paco103** » October 10, 2004, 11:43 pm

WTF is that all about?

Michael Moore ENCOURAGED people to download and share pirate copies of his movies, AS LONG as they weren't doing it for profit.

Copyright law only says you cannot do public showings. Technically common areas and lounges of residence halls are not *PUBLIC*. They are for residents and their invited guests.

I haven't gotten that message yet, but it's not like I care if I do. I'll watch movies on my laptop downstairs if they forbid me from using the TV. It's big enough, me and my friends have watched smaller TV's!

Kenshiro · Post by **Kenshiro** » October 12, 2004, 10:55 pm

That does suck. Even if that could be challenged in court, I can fully understand that SMS does NOT want to be the entity that gets smacked down by big corporate giants in court.

Also, on the common areas, wouldn't those be considered public to some degree? I can walk right into pretty much any of them during regular hours, whether I'm a guest or not, or even if I just want to use the bathroom. Granted, I can't get in during hours of enforcement, but it's not like I can get into McDonald's after hours, either. Or the mall. Or even the park.

Post by **Paco103** » October 13, 2004, 6:41 am

Kenshiro wrote:Granted, I can't get in during hours of enforcement, but it's not like I can get into McDonald's after hours, either. Or the mall. Or even the park.

Technically the mall and McDonalds is not public, it's private corporation. Most of the parks are by non-profit organizations (not the gov). The residence halls are paid for through our residence costs. If you leave the front door to your house open and someone just walks in, does that make your house a public area that you can no longer show movies at? What if you're on some sort of public assistance program, now we can argue that your house is at least partially funded through gov. funding, so therefore it's public right?

Chreteau · Post by **Chreteau** » October 13, 2004, 6:47 am

Paco103 wrote:
Kenshiro wrote:If you leave the front door to your house open and someone just walks in, does that make your house a public area?

No, but thanks for the stereo.

Da,Beers · Post by **Da,Beers** » October 18, 2004, 7:34 am

The residence halls are our homes, we pay the university alot of money to live here and at night you cannot get in without an id. Its a bunch of shit that we cant watch movies inside our homes.

Chreteau · Post by **Chreteau** » October 18, 2004, 7:40 am

Da,Beers wrote:The residence halls are our homes, we pay the university alot of money to live here and at night you cannot get in without an id. Its a bunch of shit that we cant watch movies inside our homes.

Wouldn't your "home" technically be your room? If not, why aren't there more people having sex in the public areas? It would make it easier for my video cameras.

the_red_chimp · Post by **the_red_chimp** » October 18, 2004, 8:52 am

Chreteau wrote: video cameras.

That's why.

Post by **Paco103** » October 18, 2004, 8:34 pm

Chreteau wrote:Wouldn't your "home" technically be your room? If not, why aren't there more people having sex in the public areas? It would make it easier for my video cameras.

Apparently you're just here at the wrong times - but it's similar to why don't more people have sex in their living rooms? If you're sharing the house (dorm) with other people, you tend to leave the public rooms alone for that type of thing.

Chreteau · Post by **Chreteau** » October 18, 2004, 8:37 pm

Or if you have kids who can't stand be to on the other side of a door, you get a deadbolt and hurry up before the cartoon ends and they notice you're gone.