[Seattle-editorial] Related Story Idea: Urgent Action!! Media education at risk from new FCC copyright rule!

[sheri at speakeasy.org]

-----Original Message-----
From: Alison Brzenchek [mailto:aokb at umich.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2003 02:21 PM
To: media-l at nmsu.edu
Cc: karen.young at rcn.com, 'Media Tank', liza at mediaactioncenter.org, 'Rachel Coen', 
'jonathan lawson', 'Peter Hart', 'Jeff Perlstein', jeff at democraticmedia.org, 
'"seeta pe?a gangadharan"', kiddd at usfca.edu, nanrubin at aol.com, 
karenatseattle at yahoo.com, sheri at indymedia.org, susan at indymedia.org, 
mark.lloyd at civilrightsforum.org, petri at prometheusradio.org, 
jennpozner at yahoo.com, cmwpac at chicagomediawatch.org, 'Michael Bracy', 
kendall at futureofmusic.org, kdonegan at childrennow.org, earl at mediatank.org
Subject: Urgent Action!! Media education at risk from new FCC copyright rule!

FYI, Alison

Action Alert from Public Knowledge

Have you ever taped a TV show at home for viewing in the classroom?

Your ability to do this is at risk.

Until now, the legal doctrine of "fair use" has allowed you to make copies 
of a copyrighted works for educational purposes.  Although this legal 
concept may protect your educational use of recorded broadcast television 
show in a court room, technology may soon prevent your ability to replay 
the show before you ever get to the classroom.

Your use of broadcast television is under attack by Hollywood and the 
broadcasters.  They want the Federal Communications Commission to 
technologically lock down your use of digital broadcast television.

The FCC could decide the issue THIS WEEK OR NEXT.
Media educators need to speak up on this TODAY.

*** TAKE ACTION NOW!--->  http://www2.publicknowledge.org***

The so-called "broadcast flag" rule would require digital television 
electronics (digital televisions, digital vcrs, and TiVos) to obey and 
respond to copy controls in the broadcast signal.  This means, in the 
future, you might not be able to record a segment of a broadcast television 
and play it in your classroom for academic discussion.  The technology 
could also prevent replay of broadcast television commercials for analysis 
or critique.

Hollywood says that a "broadcast flag" will only prevent piracy of digital 
television programs over the Internet.  Unfortunately, the flag will do 
much more than that, including preventing educators from using media in the 
classroom as they do today.

Please contact the FCC and tell them to oppose the "broadcast flag" rule... 
it's unlikely to prevent Internet piracy of broadcast television programs 
(intentional pirates will still be able to circumvent the technology)--but 
it will certainly hurt educators' ability to do their job.


Regards,

Alison Brzenchek
Health Education Coordinator for Eating Issues & Sexual Health
University of Michigan, University Health Service
207 Fletcher Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
(734) 647-4699
aokb at umich.edu