Copyright Office: Stop Compulsory Licensing for Cable

Posted by Alex Harris

The Copyright Office just released a report asking Congress to end the practice of forcing broadcast TV stations to give their signals to cable and satellite operators for a small, legislatively-fixed fee. Ars has an excellent piece on the report.

The compulsory licensing was introduced in the early days of cable and satellite to give the new companies a leg up against their broadcast competitors - and to promote localism. But cable and satellite hardly need the advantage; they’re creaming free TV. Congress should allow cable and satellite to freely negotiate for licenses with broadcasters - and thus let the market efficiently determine the prices. Congress needs to quit picking winners and losers.

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07/02/2008 @ 9:57 am | Economic Liberty, Intellectual Property, Tech & Telecom | Comments

 
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