FCC "broadcast flag" approved

FCC "broadcast flag" approved

Posted Nov 6, 2003 4:09 UTC (Thu) by zone (guest, #3633)
Parent article: FCC "broadcast flag" approved

Granted, I'm not intimately familiar with the technical details of this, but if the "broadcast flag" is really just that, a single flag, then there is serious bias for a particular set of copyright licenses. An "OK TO COPY" vs. "NOT OK TO COPY" flag in the broadcast signal will only help to protect (even if you buy the MPAA's "protection" line) those works that completely disallow outside use of the material.

A producer of a football game, for example, may wish to restrict copying of the game while it is in progress and for 48 hours afterwards, in order to give the network and it's news affiliates the chance for exclusive broadcast and reporting. After the 48 hours, the producer may wish for the game to be available for rebroadcast or unlimited copying. How are their rights protected by this broadcast flag? They're not. They will either have to completely restrict copying, or completely allow copying.

If this is indeed the only option available to content producers, the FCC is, in my opinion, setting a very bad precedent in favor of ultra-restrictive copyright licenses. Hopefully someone who knows more of the details can reassure me that there is an expiration field somewhere in the broadcast, or something other than an all-or-nothing flag.

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