Sure, it looked like a new day in Congress with the Democrats taking over. This past weekend’s National Conference on Media Reform definitely reinforced that notion as it pertains to media ownership and internet freedom. But the entertainment industry and copyright cartel are a whole different she-bang.
Too many entertainment industry liberals are way to close to the Democratic party to let pass your right and ability to time shift music programming from satellite radio and the internet. There’s language taking aim at portable satellite radios that let you record and playback programs in a bill called the Platform Equality and Remedies for Rights Holders in Music Act, reintroduced by copyright crusaders from both sides of the aisle, Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Joseph Biden (D-Del.) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.).
According to CNet,
Radio listeners would be permitted to set their devices to automatically record full radio programs on certain channels at certain times. But allowing users to program their devices to automatically find and record specific sound recordings, artists or albums–say, only all Michael Jackson tracks played on the service–would be prohibited. So-called “manual” recording would be allowed, as long as it’s done “in a manner that is not an infringement of copyright.”
Nevermind that without this law, allowing listeners to find specific recordings would not be “an infringement of copyright,” in the first place.
What’s next? I’ll be allowed to TiVo a whole evening of prime-time TV, but not be able to find a specific program?
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