Copyright no issue in Glodok<\/p>\n
Sally Piri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
\"Looking for new releases, sir?\" is a common question in the
\nheart of the capital's pirated disc market, Glodok, West Jakarta.<\/p>\n
It is posed to anyone keen enough to squeeze their way through
\nthe narrow space between kiosks, among a sea of thousands of
\npirated discs displayed on wooden tables.<\/p>\n
With the approach of a prospective buyer, vendors call out
\ntitles -- comedies, dramas, even cartoons.<\/p>\n
And, if an opportunity presents itself, the vendor might
\nwhisper: \"Mau BF Indonesia?\" (Are you interested in local porn?).<\/p>\n
In spite of the prevailing intellectual property laws, pirated
\ndiscs are openly sold across the city.<\/p>\n
Several laws, including Law No. 8\/1992 on film copyright and
\nLaw No. 19\/2002 on intellectual property rights, as well as the
\nCriminal Code carry penalties of up to three years' imprisonment
\nfor the vendors of pirated materials.<\/p>\n
To check out the booming trade for yourself, take the busway
\nto Glodok and cross over Jl. Hayam Wuruk to the market. On the
\nfirst floor you, will come across rows of stalls selling pirated
\nCDs, VCDs and DVDs.<\/p>\n
\"These are very new,\" said Saiful (not his real name) as he
\npointed to pirated DVDs of movies that had not even hit local
\ncinemas, Mr & Mrs Smith and theMerchant of Venice.<\/p>\n
\"They are Rp 10,000 (US$1.2) apiece,\" he said. Compact discs
\nare available for much less at Rp 3,000 apiece.<\/p>\n
Another spot where pirated discs are available is on the third
\nfloor of Glodok market, Bloc H.<\/p>\n
Here, vendors are better equipped. They have televisions and
\nDVD players so customers can check a disc's quality.<\/p>\n
Here the raw materials in piracy are also available, blank
\ndiscs.<\/p>\n
DVDs of new films are offered for Rp 5,000 apiece and blank
\ndiscs for Rp 2,000.<\/p>\n
Prices are very low compared to those of original DVDs, which
\nrange between Rp 45,000 and Rp 200,000.<\/p>\n
As vendors set their prices at about the same level, they may
\nspecialize in a genre as a way to stand out.<\/p>\n
Some vendors sell films from just one country, or target film
\nbuffs with an array of arthouse movies and rare titles.<\/p>\n
However, starting up a business in Glodok is not easy and at
\nleast Rp 5 million in initial capital is needed for the purchase
\nof hundreds of new discs.<\/p>\n
That amount does not include rent for the space.<\/p>\n
A female vendor said that to start up a medium-sized stall
\nthat stocked thousands of discs would cost around Rp 20 million,
\nexcluding monthly rent of Rp 2.1 million.<\/p>\n
And disclosing the risky nature of the business, she said she
\nalso had to pay racketeers Rp 10,000 a day.<\/p>\n
\"They say the money goes to the police,\" she said.
\nThe vendor said that competition was getting tougher, prompting
\nher to branch out, distributing pirated materials, including porn
\nmovies to places outside Jakarta.<\/p>\n
With such a proliferation of pirated materials at extremely
\nlow prices, Glodok indeed is a haven for entertainment-thirsty
\nJakartans.<\/p>\n
For Bonny (not his real name), Glodok has become a regular
\nshopping destination.<\/p>\n
When asked why, the young man sheepishly admitted, \"I don't
\nreally care about the quality, I just want to know what happens
\nin the movies.\"<\/p>\n
He visits Glodok at least once a month and spends up to Rp
\n60,000, bringing home about 25 DVDs.<\/p>\n
\"My favorite spot is the one close to the police station,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/copyright-no-issue-in-glodok-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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