this report goes much deeper than the headline, which even might be a bit misleading. 

I think it's proposing radical changes in the tv copyright structure vis-a-vis cable and satellite.  In any event, I will avoid commenting before I've read the whole thing.  After avoiding the executive summary (intended largely for fools and those with short attention spans.), I'm 20 pages into the 240+ page report, but they are foreshadowing dropping several compulsory licenses and seemingly putting cable copyright issues "out to the free market."  Which is something I've actually advocated hereabouts.

I suspect that others will opine before I.  I haven't given an opinion above; just a fair reading about the hints I've picked up so far.  I'll leave quick, uninformed 'analysis' to others.  Also, I'm getting a whiff of things at the very least that were just adjacent to last week's brouhaha.

I can say that it helped induce a nap that I've just gotten up from, but that was largely brought about by a "bad night" last night.

John Willkie

-----Original Message-----
From: dan.grimes@xxxxxxxx
Sent: Jul 1, 2008 5:05 PM
To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [opendtv] Re: Speaking of distinctions ...

I think I would agree with this since broadcasting on the internet is not much different than broadcasting on the air-waves. There is definitely a difference in streaming media to a subscribing customer with dedicated receiving hardware ( a set-top box) verses streaming on the internet, even if the same pipe is used. Agree?

I consider the internet, or more specifically the World Wide Web, to be mainly a public transmission medium. What do you all think?

Dan

John Willkie <johnwillkie@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>

John Willkie <johnwillkie@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent by: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 07/01/2008 10:48 AM Please respond to opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

To opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx cc Subject [opendtv] Speaking of distinctions ...

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6574635.html

Washington -- In a report to Congress Monday, the U.S. Copyright Office said companies that intend to stream local TV signals over the Internet should be denied a key copyright license that cable operators use to distribute the same signals.

“Several businesses are using, or plan to use, the Internet to retransmit broadcast programming. The Office recommends that businesses using the Internet to deliver video programming should not be eligible for a statutory license at least this time,” the 275-page report said.

...

John Willkie


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