Thirty leading film and television groups from around the world have launched the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) to fight online Piracy.

Members of ACE include Amazon, AMC Networks, BBC Worldwide, Bell Canada and Bell Media, Canal+ Group, CBS Corporation, Constantin Film, Foxtel, Grupo Globo, HBO, Hulu, Lionsgate, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Millennium Media, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount Pictures, SF Studios, Sky, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Star India, Studio Babelsberg, STX Entertainment, Telemundo, Televisa, Twentieth Century Fox, Univision Communications Inc., Village Roadshow, The Walt Disney Company, and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

In a joint-statement issues on Tuesday, the companies stress the tremendous growth of the film and TV industries over recent years and investment in digital distribution that has led to the creation of more than 480 online services offering online content legally to viewers around the world. Content creation and distribution has a direct impact on the national economies and workforce and in the US alone, the creative sector adds over $1.2 trillion to the economy and supports more than 5.5 million direct jobs each year according to the statement.

However rampant piracy continues to be a major threat to the global film & TV industries. Last year an estimated 5.4 billion downloads of pirated films and primetime TV and VOD shows, using peer-to-peer protocols worldwide were registered, as well as nearly 21.4 billion total visits to streaming piracy sites worldwide across both desktops and mobile devices.

To fight online piracy, ACE intends to ‘draw upon the global anti-piracy resources of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) in concert with the internal anti-piracy expertise of the ACE coalition members. The new Alliance will therefore conduct research, and work closely with law enforcement to curtail illegal pirate enterprises, file civil litigation, forge cooperative relationships with existing national content protection organisations, and pursue voluntary agreements with responsible parties across the internet ecosystem’

ACE Member Jean-Christophe Thierry, CEO, Canal+ Group said: "Creativity has been part of Canal+ Group's DNA ever since the beginning. We have always encouraged it, and are proud to support many artists and new talents. Fortunately, we are living at a time when creativity is rich. But, in the meantime, it has never been so threatened by piracy, which is getting more and more organised, complex, and global. To face these new challenges, our industry must adapt its response and find a way to address issues that cannot be effectively handled at the local or regional level. In that respect, Canal+ Group is proud to be part of the ACE launch, an unprecedented worldwide coalition with significant resources. We believe it will be a key asset to strengthen our efforts to protect creativity." 

Leah Weil, Senior EVP and General Counsel, Sony Pictures Entertainment said: "The theft and illegal distribution of copyrighted content impacts our business, the creative community, and the consumer viewing experience. As the landscape of the industry evolves, the range and threat of piracy expands with it. We look forward to working with our industry colleagues from around the globe to address this urgent issue."

David Hyman, General Counsel, Netflix said: “While we're focused on providing a great consumer experience that ultimately discourages piracy, there are still bad players around the world trying to profit off the hard work of others. By joining ACE, we will work together, share knowledge, and leverage the group's combined anti-piracy resources to address the global online piracy problem." 

According to Mediavision, illegal video consumption is widespread in the Nordics. In spring 2017, 16% of people in the region aged 15-74 years admitted to illegal downloading and streaming of video content in the past month, with the highest rate of 24% registered in Sweden, three times higher than in Finland. All-in-all the Nordic pirates consume approximately 400 million films and TV episodes a year. 

For further information about ACE check: www.alliance4creativity.com