Critics slam broadcasters’ DTV copy-protection plan

[Gregg Lengling]

Bill McConnell
Broadcasting & Cable
12/11/2002 11:30:00 AM
   Imposing the broadcast industry's preferred digital copy-protection technology will stifle innovation of better technology and won't provide adequate protection against illegal distribution over the Internet, critics of the "broadcast flag" are telling the Federal Communications Commission.

"Implementation is made difficult by the complex and ever-evolving nature of the technologies," said the IT Coalition, which includes Apple Computer Inc., IBM Corp., Intel Corp., Microsoft Corp. and Motorola Inc.

Rather than imposing the flag, the coalition said, the FCC should permit broadcasters to encrypt digital-TV signals as the transmission site.

As for set rules, the coalition said, the FCC has no evidence showing that the lack of a copy-protection regimen is dissuading programmers from offering digital-TV programs.

"Indeed, the fall 2002 lineup of network programming is replete with digital programming," the groups said in comments filed this week.

Others opposed a broadcast-flag mandate, too. TiVo Inc., maker of personal video recorders that store digital copies of programs, said its security measures are stronger than the flag.

If the flag is mandated, however, TiVo said, no copy restrictions should be placed on any devices within a home. Even programs that forbid any duplication outside a viewer's home network must allow unlimited copying among the viewer's collection of TVs, PCs and PVRs.

Broadcasters and Hollywood said the flag is the best technology available now to prevent unauthorized copying. Without the protection, stations will not have access to new movies and other high-quality content because producers won't risk letting them be duplicated infinitely on the Internet.