Television Content Creators Oppose Proposed FCC Changes
WASHINGTON, DC – When Napster was at the height of its era, it helped approximately 80 million registered users swap MP3 files and illegally download music for free. The service had a crippling effect on the music industry, which ultimately fought back by suing Napster for copyright infringement. Napster was shut down by court order and eventually sold off to other companies through bankruptcy proceedings.
Today, the television industry finds itself at a similar crossroads as the FCC considers changing its “set top box” rules to allow more competition into the field. The problem is, by creating shortcuts to encourage competition by Silicon Valley tech giants, the FCC is not protecting the rights of the current content creators who spend millions to produce your favorite shows. If these changes are implemented, it will mean additional costs to protect current rights.
“When costs rise, the first people to be impacted are the minority networks,” said Keith Clinkscales, CEO of REVOLT TV. “Changing the rules right now will cost companies time and money to defend their content as opposed to the FCC showing leadership to sit down with the cable companies and create change that works for all parties involved.”
Clinkscales is not alone in his opposition to the FCC. In an Op Ed written in USA Today, Gale Anne Hurd, executive producer of The Walking Dead, expressed concern about the federal government creating policies that would allow stolen content to compete with legitimate content on TV sets across America. For example, how would the NBA or NFL react if the unauthorized viewing of their broadcast was not strictly prohibited, as we are constantly reminded at the tail end of each game broadcast? How much would it cost in legal expenses to fight channels pirating premium content? What cuts would networks make to adjust?
“The FCC should reject this new AllVid proposal and help prevent piracy from becoming as prevalent in the living room as it is on laptop and mobile devices,” said Hurd. “If the commission doesn’t, I’m afraid that all of us who create, market and broadcast legitimate content will be like the zombies on my show: the walking dead.”
Consumer’s right to privacy would also be impacted by the proposed legislation. Dr. E. Faye Williams, national president and CEO of the National Congress of Black Women, said she’s concerned that user viewing habits will be sold without consent.
“Consumers would lose as well, as many of the privacy and safety protections that we have come to take for granted vanish into thin air,” said Williams to the Birmingham News. “Nothing would stop AllVid companies from selling viewers’ television viewing habits to advertisers (just as they do your internet habits today).”
Why haven’t we heard more about this? Because knowledge is power! The public can learn more about the FCC proposal at
www.TheFutureofTV.com and sign the petition to tell the government to reject the proposal and protect TV.
“I do not think the FCC has thought this through and, if implemented, it will have a deleterious impact,” said Clinkscales. “Rights matter. These rights are important and you cannot be casual with them. I would ask President Obama to step in and take a different look at this.”
For more information, visit
www.thefutureoftv.com. #Reject2Protect
#WhatsTheRushFCC
Posted By: Tanisha Grant
Tuesday, May 17th 2016 at 1:28PM
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