Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-AK) has vowed to push ahead with legislation that gives the FCC authority to re-implement the broadcast flag, which would impose anti-copying technology on consumer electronics manufacturers that make devices capable of receiving digital broadcast signals. Draft legislation introduced by Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR) would ratify rules adopted by the Commission in October 2003, rules subsequently overturned in a court decision, and give the FCC authority to update those rules.
Smith’s bill, however, goes beyond the original broadcast rules by including digital audio transmissions in a broadcast flag regime, and doesn’t limit the anti-copying rules to just television broadcasts, as the original rules did.
The Committee held hearings on this issue Tuesday, and at least one electronics manufacturer, Philips, has dropped its opposition to the reimposition of the broadcast flag for television. But, despite Stevens powerful support, the bill still faces opposition from librarians, who fear the bill will ban educational uses of video, public interest groups and some committee members, including Senator John Sununu (R-NH).
Cynthia Brumfield at 8:32 AM|Comments(0)
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