NBC Activates Broadcast Flag

I Don't Believe in Imaginary Property writes "NBC activated the 'broadcast flag' on a number of shows this week, ranging from American Gladiator to Medium, which prevented compliant programs like Windows Media Center from recording them. The matter is being 'looked into,' but that doesn't tell us whether it was an accident or a ploy to see how outraged viewers would be at being stripped of the time-shifting rights they've enjoyed ever since Sony v. Universal. Just in case it's the latter, it wouldn't hurt to let them know what you think."

Comments

Re:Benefit of a doubt?

[somersault]

Nobody can be fired for patriotically pressing a button that they thought would fly an American flag!! If your average person saw a big button marked 'Broadcast Flag', what would they think? :)

Re:Benefit of a doubt?

[rtaylor]

More importantly, this person knows not do to that. The new person they hire will not have received this training information.

I want a quality flag

[OzPeter]

Instead of a broadcast flag , I want a quality flag .. one that stops shows like American Gladiator from even being broadcast.

Re:I want a quality flag

[maxume]

Get an American Gladiators t-shirt and some guns. Then, every time someone says "I love that show" to you, kill them.

Be sure to flash the correct signs to other American Gladiators so that they don't kill you for wearing the t-shirt.

Re:I want a quality flag

[Ioldanach]

Have you been to a little league softball game lately?

Re:Only Vista DRM has a problem

[MrMr]

It appears that Vista has DRM functioning properly. Stopping you from recording something when the program is flagged is exactly the feature you have bought.
Furthermore, if you can record a flagged broadcast with XP or TiVo you should probably file a complaint that this software is circumventing the DRM and failing to manage your digital rights properly.

You all should thank NBC!

[Anonymous Coward]

Anything that would prevent people from watching American Gladiators must be a good thing. I don't see why you people are complaining.

Heroes is even worse

[sorak]

With "heroes" they set the "not until September" flag

Re:Oh, ok then

[Anonymous Coward]

wait a second -- you want me to buy a book?!

Re:Mr. Rogers is crying.

[Waffle Iron]

noted that he did not object to home recording of his television programs Well, he's kind of a special case. If I had a toy train track that opened up a wormhole between my living room and a whole alternate reality, then I wouldn't be very focused on minutia like copyrights either.

Re:Benefit of a doubt?

[veganboyjosh]

"Yeeeaaahhh...You're gonna need to talk to payroll..."

LIES!

[bickle]

I refuse to believe that anyone tried recording American Gladiators.

Re:Whatever...

[electrictroy]

NBC is already dead last in the ratings (#4)!

Maybe they're trying to lose even more viewers by not letting these viewers tape their programs. How brilliant. Attract more customers by treating them like crap. Reminds me of RIAA.

Re:Quality TV

[mdm-adph]

While I may not agree with your decision to watch American Gladiator, I'll defend your right to watch it.

Re:From the site:

[PawNtheSandman]

You had 6 friends who record American Gladiators?

not supported

[BigGerman]

apparently this "flag" feature is not supported by Mythtv. Damn you open source, always one step behind.

Re:NBC?

[sricetx]

could someone remind me again what this "NBC" thing is, and why I should care? thankx.

NBC is a broadcast network owned by General Electric, the world's thrid largest corporation. It is a corporate propaganda outlet for big business to push their agenda in the USA -- namely destroying the middle class, turning the average American into a wage slave, and enriching the wealthy elite at the expense of civil liberties. So basically NBC is the media arm of the devil.

Re:From the site:

[jez9999]

You knew six people?

Re:And my MythBox

[GWLlosa]

Wait, I thought we were 'for' Microsoft supporting industry standards?

Re:Benefit of a doubt?

[jollyreaper]

More importantly, this person knows not do to that. The new person they hire will not have received this training information. Mount the old person's hand by the button. The new person will see it, ask why it's there, and learn a valuable object lesson in not pressing that button. I do believe they will remember not to in the future.