[spinkle]

I apologize, I didn't realize how much of what I said was restatement.

Your solution wouldn't kill the industry, but it would certainly generate revenue. Streaming is certainly a viable option, as is on-demand programming or even a dedicated cable channel for recent or currently running shows. DVRs and tivo have changed the way people approach their TVs for media delivery--they receive an archivable backup of almost anything they watch. Packaged sets will likely still be in demand, no matter what other delivery structures are in place--use your remote to purchase sets of the show you're watching?

I think at root most of the people who download weren't going to be customers in the first place. In a way the industry isn't losing money on them--they were never going to pay for the product. The trade-off is that some of them end up becoming customers eventually, spending money they wouldn't have if they hadn't become exposed to the show through downloading.