How Battlestar Galactica Killed TV
I must admit that after watching an episode of Battlestar Galactica on the SciFi Channel, I had to see more. The only problem is, I already missed a few episodes, and future episodes were only aired once a week! The solution? BitTorrent.
While you might assume the SciFi Channel saw a significant drop-off in viewership as a result of this piracy, it appears to have had the reverse effect: the series is so good that the few tens of thousands of people who watched downloaded versions told their friends to tune in on January 14th, and see for themselves. From its premiere, Battlestar Galactica has been the most popular program ever to air on the SciFi Channel, and its audiences have only grown throughout the first series. Piracy made it possible for “word-of-mouth” to spread about Battlestar Galactica.