Russians consider that in order to combat the distribution of unauthorized copies of movies on the Internet it is important to decrease prices to let people download or watch them online.
MOSCOW, August 6, 2018. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data of a survey devoted to watching movies and TV series online.
One-third of respondents (34%) prefer paid movies when choosing between paid and free options.
More than one-quarter (28%) are ready to pay a monthly subscription which would provide access to licensed movies and TV series; the reasonable price for subscription could be from 300 (10%) to 500 rubles (15%) (350 rubles (1%); 400 rubles (2%)). A further 8% consider a sum of 200 rubles affordable; 7% cite 100 rubles. One percent of respondents (in each group) cite a maximum of 1,500 rubles and a minimum of 10 rubles.
Almost half of respondents (47%) believe that as soon as movies, music and books hit the Internet their authors cannot ban people from sharing them for free. Those who think so are mainly persons aged 25-34 (54%). The majority (71%) stress that the living standard and people’s income in Russia are not so high, so people should not be deprived of the possibility to watch the online content for free or to download video or audio files. This viewpoint is also popular among those aged 25-34 (80%). This is why most of Russians (62%) are confident that in order to combat the online piracy it is important to provide cheap prices to access online licensed content and to download licensed copies of movies and TV series rather than to toughen the legislation concerning the authors and distributors of unauthorized copies (25%).
Fewer Russians (39%) say that intellectual property rights of authors should be protected against illegal distribution (an increase from 35% in 2013), as movies, music and books are products just as clothes, so their authors should get money from any purchase or download of the copies of their works (19%).
The VCIOM-Sputnik survey was conducted on July 31, 2018, and involved 1,000 Russians aged 18 and over. The survey was telephone-based and was carried out using stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of landline and mobile phone numbers operating in Russia. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.
Imagine you are surfing the Internet to find a certain movie. There is a free copy of this movie in poor quality (single-voice translation, unwanted sounds, copy recorded in a movie theatre, et cet.) and a paid copy with a better quality. What would you do? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of those who use the Internet) | ||||||
| % of those who use the Internet | Aged 18-24 | Aged 25-34 | Aged 35-44 | Aged 45-59 | Aged 60 and more |
I’d better pay to download or watch online a better quality copy | 34 | 38 | 36 | 32 | 29 | 33 |
I’d better download a free copy or watch it online for free even if it is poor quality | 25 | 34 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 32 |
I will wait for a free copy in good quality | 16 | 11 | 24 | 17 | 16 | 5 |
I will go to the movie theatre | 3 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
I will not watch it at all | 5 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 2 |
I do not download/watch movies online | 12 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 18 | 18 |
Other | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Don’t know | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 8 |
Today many people buy monthly subscription to access websites with licensed copies of movies and TV series. If you were offered such subscription, what would be the maximum amount of money that would you agree to pay for monthly subscription? (open-ended question, one answer, answers of at least 1% of respondents, % of those who use the Internet) | |
| % of those who use the Internet |
600 – 1,500 Russian rubles | |
1,500 | 1 |
1,000 | 6 |
700 | 1 |
600 | 1 |
300 – 500 Russian rubles | |
500 | 15 |
400 | 2 |
350 | 1 |
300 | 10 |
10 – 250 Russian rubles | |
250 | 1 |
200 | 8 |
150 | 3 |
100 | 7 |
50 | 1 |
10 | 1 |
0, it must be free of charge | 20 |
Don’t know | 18 |
Which statement do you agree with the most? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||
| 2013 | 2018 |
The authors of movies, music and books or other copyrighted materials should be reliably protected against illegal (without their permission) distribution of their works | 35 | 39 |
The movies, music and books become public domain and start to live their own lives after they were made public; their authors cannot ban people from sharing this content for free | 52 | 47 |
Don’t know | 13 | 14 |
Which statement do you agree with the most? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||||||
| Total respondents | Aged 18-24 | Aged 25-34 | Aged 35-44 | Aged 45-59 | Aged 60 and more |
The authors of movies, music and books or other copyrighted materials should be reliably protected against illegal (without their permission) distribution of their works | 39 | 37 | 37 | 40 | 42 | 36 |
The movies, music and books become public domain and start to live their own lives after they were made public; their authors cannot ban people from sharing this content for free | 47 | 53 | 54 | 44 | 46 | 41 |
Don’t know | 14 | 10 | 9 | 16 | 12 | 23 |
Which statement do you agree with the most? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||
| 2013 | 2018 |
Movies, music and books are products just as clothes, for example; their authors should get money from the consumers for purchasing or downloading a copy of their work. | 19 | 19 |
The standard of living in Russia is not so high, and Russians are not so wealthy, so people should not be deprived of the possibility to watch free online movies or to download movies, music or books for free | 69 | 71 |
Don’t know | 12 | 10 |
Which statement do you agree with the most? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||||||
| Total respondents | Aged 18-24 | Aged 25-34 | Aged 35-44 | Aged 45-59 | Aged 60 and more |
Movies, music and books are products just as clothes, for example; their authors should get money from the consumers for purchasing or downloading a copy of their work. | 19 | 20 | 16 | 19 | 20 | 18 |
The standard of living in Russia is not so high, and Russians are not so wealthy, so people should not be deprived of the possibility to watch free online movies or to download movies, music or books for free | 71 | 73 | 80 | 73 | 67 | 66 |
Don’t know | 10 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 13 | 16 |
The Internet is full of unauthorized copies of movies and TV series; they are poor quality and illegal and violate the rights of authors and other right holders. Which statement do you agree with the most? To prevent distribution of unlicensed copies of movies and TV series online it is important..? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||||||
| Total respondents | Aged 18-24 | Aged 25-34 | Aged 35-44 | Aged 45-59 | Aged 60 and more |
To toughen the legislation concerning the authors and distributors of unlicensed copies | 25 | 13 | 15 | 19 | 25 | 42 |
To provide cheaper prices to watch or download licensed copies on the Internet | 62 | 79 | 78 | 72 | 60 | 38 |
Don’t know | 13 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 15 | 20 |
Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory.