Even if the result of this study is accurate, the point is irrelevant. Piracy cannot be stopped, and eventually free methods of consuming content will become so prevalent that content creators will be forced to adopted entirely new business models. I don't believe there will ever be a silver bullet that can block piracy; DRM schemes will only serve to ruin the experience for paying customers, while free, pirated alternatives will continue to proliferate and present better and better user experiences.
Perhaps a revenue model based solely on product placement could work, but most likely entirely new business models that haven't yet been dreamt up will resurrect entertainment for profit. Perhaps digital sales will serve purely to advertise performances or other tangible art experiences. Regardless, I imagine the entertainment industry will look vastly different in 10-15 years.
eventually free methods of consuming content will become so prevalent that content creators will be forced to adopted entirely new business models
...or just exit the market and do something else. Musicians can play live; that doesn't work very well for film directors or actors. Sure, there's the theater, but but the size of the audience you can play to is limited to the distance within which actors can be easily seen and heard. You can't really stage a play in a stadium the way you can stage a music event.
Perhaps a revenue model based solely on product placement could work
Producers and screenwriters already make the most of their opportunities there. It's possible, up a point; if I'm writing a script based in the 19th century I can look for some premium brands with a long legacy for placement or cross-promotion opportunities (you'd be surprised how many there are). But that won't work for earlier periods, science-fiction, or contexts that brands typically prefer not to be associated with, like war movies or stories with gloomy themes.
Entirely new business models are pretty thin on the ground. 'Make something and charge admission to people who want to see it' has been around for a while. The latest attempt is the current crop of 3d movies, since that doesn't really work on the sofa, but it's a big increase in production costs for relatively little box-office gain.
It's easy to hand wave about "new business models" without being specific. If you know of a better way to create a profitable media business, why not go out and eat the incumbents' lunch?
Perhaps a revenue model based solely on product placement could work, but most likely entirely new business models that haven't yet been dreamt up will resurrect entertainment for profit. Perhaps digital sales will serve purely to advertise performances or other tangible art experiences. Regardless, I imagine the entertainment industry will look vastly different in 10-15 years.