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? :)

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

[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.

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.