Motion Picture Association of America

The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) is probably best known for its voluntary film rating system and its support of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

The MPAA has sought to protect its members' interests by political lobbying for changes in copyright and criminal law. It seeks to promote digital rights management technologies on personal computers, a move which has been seen by some as infringing computer users' rights, and a potential threat to freedom in the electronic domain.

The president of the MPAA is Jack Valenti, who is famous for his drastic rhetorical comparisons. In a 1982 testimony before the House of Representatives, he stated: "I say to you that the VCR is to the American film producer and the American public as the Boston strangler[?] is to the woman home alone."

The US movie industry had a good year in 2001, with 1500 million domestic cinema admissions generating record revenues of $8410 million, while the cost of making movies was reduced.

Related Topics

• RIAA, Recording Industry Association of America

External Links

• www.mpaa.org - MPAA website (http://www.mpaa.org/)
• MPAA information about its rating system (http://www.mpaa.org/movieratings/)
• Film director Alex Cox criticises the MPAA (http://media.guardian.co.uk/mediaguardian/story/0,7558,722669,00.html)
• Valenti testimony (http://cryptome.org/hrcw-hear.htm)