Hearings On Bills To "Promote" Digital TV

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."

Comments

Maybe this is actually good news...

[dpilot]

We always seem to see the hacker vs Joe 6pak mentality battle on /., and how so many of these information issues are hacker issues, and how Joe 6pak won't notice them.

Joe 6pak is going to notice this.

After all, it's only legislation, and legislation can get repealed about as quickly as it is enacted, if the voters feel strongly enough about it. It's just got to come to their attention.

At the moment, I'm equally worried about all of this DRM mess slowing down the tech industry even further. It's bad enough as it is, but just wait for new consumer products are mandated to have features that only hinder. They'd like to say it's going to spark new demand, as we all run out and spend bux upgrading all of our electronics. But since those electronics are going to cost more, and in many cases grant only reduced function, I say we'll hold on to what we have. We're going to see a further slump in consumer electronics, and therefore the rest of the electronics industry.