--- Forwarded Message from Ed Dente <[log in to unmask]> ---
>Date: Wed, 08 May 2002 14:51:26 -0400
>From: Ed Dente <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: 10 New Copyright Laws
>To: [log in to unmask]
Hi All,
This was posted on the Yale Law Meme web site, and cited on Slate. Given
the new hardline approach to copyright interpretation on the part of
music/record companies and movie studios (the new proposals for taxes on
blank cds, royalty payments in advance, etc.), someone took the
industry's position to its (il)logical outcome:
(Please give all copyright consideration for this to The Yale Law Meme
and Slate)
Cheers,
Ed Dente
Jamie Kellner, chairman and CEO of Turner Broadcasting (an
AOL
Time Warner company), was recently interviewed by [INSIDE]
on
the future of television (Content's King). In the
interview, Mr.
Kellner said some very interesting things, including
characterizing
those who skip television commercials as thieves:
[Ad skips are] theft. Your contract with the network
when you get the show is you're going to watch the
spots. Otherwise you couldn't get the show on an
ad-supported basis. Any time you skip a commercial
or watch the button you're actually stealing the
programming.
To help develop Mr. Kellner's unfortunately common (at
least in
Hollywood) view of copyright, LawMeme offers the top ten
new
copyright crimes, as well as further choice quotes and
commentary from Mr. Kellner's interview.
FOLLOWUP 2359 08 May 2002
LawMeme has an analysis of a new report that shows that
PVRs
are not as bad for TV advertising as thought (Study: PVRs
Not
Necessarily the Death of TV Advertising).
10. Watching PBS without making a donation.
You know who you are, you cheap ...
9. Changing radio stations in the car when a commercial
comes on.
Future radios will prevent listeners from changing
channels when
a commercial comes on. The RIAA has not yet taken a
position on
whether it is permissible to switch channels when the
listener
doesn't like the song.
8. Channel Surfing during commercials, especially with
Picture-in-Picture capability.
Similar to radio, skipping through channels, particularly
when
combined with picture-in-picture (which permits viewers to
know
precisely when an ad block ends), will be prohibited.
7. Getting into a movie after the previews, but just in
time for
the main feature.
Theaters will be required to close their doors once the
advertising and previews have begun. The MPAA has not yet
taken a position on time-in-seat requirements for
advertising in
the pre-preview slide show or whether audiences should be
compelled to watch the credits at the end of the movie.
6. PBS
How can commercially sponsored broadcast networks compete
with a government sponsored network?
5. Inviting friends over to watch pay-per-view.
When you call to authorize viewing, you will be required
to
indicate the number of people present to watch. Compliance
will
be monitored and viewers must identify themselves.
4. Blocking pop-up ads on the Internet.
Yeah, Mozilla and Opera users, this means you!
3. Not buying things from the advertisers on television
shows.
Part of your contract is that not only do you watch the
advertisements, but that you subsequently buy from the
advertisers. If you don't buy from the advertisers, the
whole
system breaks down.
2. Watching MTV if you are older than 35 or Matlock reruns
if
you are younger than 40.
Advertisers buy ads to reach a particular demographic. If
you
aren't part of that demographic you are, effectively, a
thief.
1. Libraries and librarians.
This is why we have the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt
Organization (RICO) Act.
Seriously, Kellner, who is a very powerful man, has said some
truly disturbing things in his interview. Not merely once,
or
off-the-cuff, but multiple times in many different ways.
At least
Kellner is reasonably straight forward in his intentions,
unlike
Jack Valenti.
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