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Hearings On Bills To "Promote" Digital TV

Posted by timothy on from the shoving-the-free-market-around dept.

jsproul writes "The New York Times (registration required) is reporting that hearings will be held today on a bill by Billy Tauzin (R-Disney) to require the digital broadcast flag, end analog broadcasts by 2006, and (according to the Consumer Federation of America) obsolete VCRs and make taping of television shows subject to the control of broadcasters. Another bill by Howard Berman (D-Hollywood) will also be debated, which bill allows record companies to attack peer-to-peer networks without liability for 'accidental' damages."

3 of 20 comments (clear)

  1. the google link to NYT by newfoundry · · Score: 2, Interesting

    no registration required via google... http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/25/technology/25DIG I.html?ex=1033617600&en=479c48c630cb24a1&ei=5062&p artner=GOOGLE

  2. Failure to think. by gnovos · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Another bill by Howard Berman (D-Hollywood) will also be debated, which bill allows record companies to attack peer-to-peer networks without liability for 'accidental' damages.

    Any law that gives the power to do harm without consequences is ripe for abuse. The record companies themselves don't even need to be intentionally abusing thier powers, they just need to be predictable. If I don't like little Bobby, and I want his machine trashed, I just put up the latest pop band on Kazaa and spoof his ip address.

    --
    "Your superior intellect is no match for our puny weapons!"
  3. UK comparrison by krazor84 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    In the UK the BBC are to stop all nondigital TV signals by 2006 and it has hardly caused a stir. The diffrence? VCR's work with BBC digital signals and there is noone trying to stop people from recording what they like. The effect in the UK has been that digital TV has not only become popular but semistandard as people embrace the new technology. However the effect in America from what I can see is that this will alienate people from new technology. These laws need to be stopped so that Joe 6pack can enjoy technology like the geeks do and realise that it really is better in digital.