Major Hollywood movie studios have recently launched a public relations offensive against internet “piracy” of their movies and television programming, making their case before Congress, the FCC and even on "60 Minutes."

But much of what Hollywood calls “piracy” may actually be consumer demand going unmet by legitimate supply. All too frequently, it is Hollywood’s own stubborn unwillingness to give law-abiding customers what they want that drives many of them to search out unauthorized alternatives.

Consider Hollywood’s attitude toward DVDs. With billions sold, the DVD is the dominant consumer medium for accessing digital video. Of course, many of the most popular movies on DVD are also available for downloading and viewing from unauthorized sources on the internet, a fact that is not likely to change.

Logic...