CBS threatens to stop HDTV

[John Polulach]

CBS threatens to stop HDTV

By Bill McConnell
Broadcasting & Cable
12/11/2002 6:10:00 PM

Faced with a hostile reaction to the broadcast industry’s preferred copy-protection method, Viacom Inc.-owned CBS is threatening to cease all high-definition programming during the 2003-2004 season.

A CBS boycott of HDTV would be a blow to the government’s effort to generate consumer and equipment-maker interest in the switch to digital transmissions.

Besides airing all 18 of its prime time comedies and dramas in HD, CBS has offered an impressive lineup of HD sports. That includes the 2001 Super Bowl, the NCAA Men’s Final Four and Masters Golf tournament during the last three years.

A variety of industry groups, including Silicon Valley companies and consumer-equipment makers, argued that the so-called "broadcast flag" will not be effective in preventing unauthorized streaming of copied programming over the net and is not necessary to ensure that high-quality digital programming is made available for free over-the-air broadcasts.

In the meantime, consumers might face diminished home-recording rights, the critics say.

[John Polulach]

Here's the last paragraph of article.

Broadcasters and Hollywood, however, say HD movies and other valuable programming will not be made available to stations unless the government imposes an effective copy-protection mechanism for over-the-air transmissions.

[sajanisch]

ok, I'm confused, what all are we talking about here (potentially), if I have a hdtv receiver card in my pc am I not going to be able to record programs for later viewing?

can they somehow distinguish recording for later viewing and distributing a MPG file over the internet?

[Skipjack]

From http://www.mpaa.org/Press/Broadcast_Flag_QA.htm

Q:When the broadcast flag is implemented, can I record any TV program with my existing digital player/recorder and watch it later at a more convenient time?

A: Absolutely. If you own an early model digital player/recorder, you will be able to record and playback time-shifted digital recordings of flagged broadcasts. The broadcast flag does not affect what you have been able to do in the analog world and will not affect your ability to make a personal recording of digital, over-the-air broadcast television programs. The purpose of the broadcast flag is to signal to devices that redistribution of programs marked with the flag are not authorized by the copyright holder.

Q: Can I record broadcast digital TV programs to my PVR (personal video recorders) such as TiVo?

A: Yes, in dedicated PVRs with no digital outputs, such as TiVo. However, digital TV tuner cards in Personal Computers using PVR software will need to insure that any recordings of flagged TV programs on to the PC’s hard drive are securely protected to prevent unauthorized redistribution to the Internet.