Fergie's Tech Blog

Proposed Bill Tackles So-Called 'New Piracy Frontier'

Here it comes again -- bend over.

The U.S. Government does not understand the issues at hand, and is trying to lock down digital content in all shapes and forms.

A UPI newswire article, via PhysOrg.com, reports that:

A new House bill seeks to further protect the music industry from piracy by limiting the ability to record digital radio broadcasts, singling out satellite radio industry competitors XM Radio and Sirius.

If approved, it would create parity among satellite, cable and Internet radio services in terms of rate setting and content protection standards, while excluding terrestrial broadcasts.

The bipartisan legislation called the Platform Equality and Remedies for Rights Holders in Music Act of 2006 or Perform Act introduced Friday comes from Democratic Rep. Howard Berman and Republican Rep. Mary Bono, both of California.

Last month the Senate version of the bill was introduced by Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and co-sponsored by Bill Frist, R-Tenn., Joseph Biden, D-Del., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

The act would address Section 114 of the Copyright Act on the issue of compulsory licenses given to satellite services, which legislators and proponents of the bill say are designed for listening-only services -- not recording.

posted by Fergie @ 5/15/2006 03:40:00 PM