Re: [Discuss-gnuradio] FCC Overstepped Authority on Digital TV

[tmassey]

address@hidden wrote on 02/23/2005 
08:05:45 AM:

> At 09:35 PM 2/22/2005 -0800, you wrote:
> >The rule has been criticized by some consumer groups, who say that it
> >could raise prices to consumers and that it sets a bad precedent by
> >allowing broadcasters to dictate how computers and other devices
> >should be built.
> 
> The cell phone industry already dictated how scanners should be built,
> altho it took a Communications Privacy act of 1986 to do it.

And that's the difference.  Congress can legislate nearly anything they 
want:  The Sonny Bono Copyright Extension Act proves that.

And that's also why this is a minor speed bump for the industry.  If the 
FCC can't carry water for them, no problem:  the senators they bought for 
the above-mentioned copyright laws can surely write another one...

Tim Massey