Bit Torrent Downloading: An Interview with a Bit Torrent Web Master from ShareTV

His name is Chris R.

The Recording Industry Association of America calls him a "music pirate". The MPAA will describe his web work as "copyright thievery". Media sensationalists will label him as an "outlaw in the digital world". But despite all the media heat, millions of Internet readers still visit web sites just like Chris'... to find and download music, movies, and TV shows. In the world of peer-to-peer file sharing (P2P), Chris R. is a small player about to become a big player.

So What Exactly Does Chris R. Do?

Chris R. owns and runs a private online P2P service called ShareTV.org. His site, like hundreds on the Web, provides search services to help people find torrent files. These torrent files, in turn, help people download free music, movies, and television shows. While Chris R. himself does not distribute the media directly, his search engine helps people locate and trade these files with each other.

Why is Chris R.'s Website Special?

Unlike most other torrent sites, which will index everything from software to movies to digitized comic books, ShareTV.org specializes only in television episodes. Specifically, ShareTV helps people find TV shows within minutes, days, or weeks after they have aired on television in some part of the world. These TV shows have the commercials removed, and Chris R. charges no fee to help you find these shared files. The reader must then use special bit torrent software to connect with other file sharers, and download the files themselves.

Yes, Chris' torrent search service operates on the edge of the law, because it itself does not give the tv shows to its readers...it only helps readers find the files elsewhere on the Web. Like all bit torrent search sites, ShareTV.org is part of a worldwide controversy around bit torrent file sharing.

Undoubtedly, you have heard about frightening law suits against torrent webmasters. These class action civil court cases involve outlandish claims, some over $100,000, that demand payment from private citizens like Chris. The RIAA and MPAA accuse them of spreading unpaid music and video, and major newspapers will hype the law suits for sensationalism.

But what really is behind Chris R.? What are his personal reasons for running this web site? Why does he spend his own money to build and run a digital service, knowing that he could be sued in civil court at any time?

Folks, here is the hidden side of the bit torrent controversy...the side of the service provider. Here is a look at the business and personal motivations for providing bit torrent services on the web. Chris R. was kind enough to grant us an interview. In the transcript of that interview, read for yourself why one bit torrent webmaster does what he does...

Next: the interview with bit torrent webmaster, Chris R., of ShareTV.org