March
6, 2003
N E W S R E L E A S E
TWENTIETH CENTURY
FOX
A UNIT OF TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX FILM CORPORATION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
20th
Century Fox Unveils Industry-Supported Anti-Piracy Public Service Announcement
At ShoWest Convention
Ben Affleck,
James Cameron, Sean Astin, Lucy Liu and a legion of behind-the-scenes
craftspeople lend support to 72-second message that puts a human face
on the effects of piracy
Studio Chairman
Jim Gianopulos Announces Agreements with Several of the Country's Leading
Exhibitors to Play PSA Nationwide
______________________
Los Angeles, CA,
March 5, 2003 - 20th Century Fox Chairman Jim Gianopulos today unveiled
a public service announcement produced by Fox on behalf of the motion
picture industry and intended to counter the growing threat of digital
piracy. The industry's first anti-piracy theatrical PSA, the 72-second
film features individuals at all levels of the movie-making business
- from actors Ben Affleck, Sean Astin and Lucy Liu, to director James
Cameron to concession-stand workers, security guards, and animal wranglers
- advocating the message that piracy costs real people real jobs.
"Piracy is
the single most critical issue facing our industry today," said
Gianopulos. "A generation of kids that would never steal a DVD
from a store feels no compunction about downloading illegal copies from
the internet. Our industry must bear some of the responsibility for
educating people that stealing is stealing - regardless of the form.
The PSA makes it clear that copyright theft is not a victimless crime,
and affects many people whose livelihoods depend on this industry,"
he added. "We're gratified that so many exhibitors are embracing
this message and that Americans will be able to see it soon in theaters
around the country."
Gianopulos announced
that Fox had reached agreements with a number of major motion picture
exhibitors to play the PSA in domestic theaters, including the world's
largest, the Regal Entertainment Group. Also signing on are two of the
country's largest exhibitors, Loews Cineplex Entertainment and CineMark
USA, Inc.; plus Century Cinemas, Cinémas Guzzo, Consolidated
Theatres, and Rave Review Cinemas.
The PSA has generated
support from all the studios of the Motion Picture Association of America
and will become an important element of the MPAA's comprehensive piracy
education campaign. It is the first in a series of anti-piracy messages
that will be produced for use in theaters; on TV and cable networks;
on DVDs and VHS; at industry screenings and premieres; in the classroom;
and at many other venues.
Twentieth Century
Fox is a unit of the Fox Entertainment Group. Fox Entertainment Group,
Inc., 80.6% owned by The News Corporation Limited (NYSE: NWS), is principally
engaged in the development, production and worldwide distribution of
feature filmsand television programs, television broadcasting and cable
network programming. Fox has total assets as of December 31, 2002 of
approximately US$23 billion and total annual revenues of approximately
US$10 billion. The Company's studios, production facilities and film
and television library provide high-quality creative content, and the
Company's broadcasting and cable networks provide extensive distribution
platforms for the Company's programs.
For more information
regarding the Fox Entertainment Group, please visit www.fox.com