Digital TV’s Hollywood Showdown

There is a legal battle underway in the US between the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) (and TV studios) and consumer rights groups over whether manufacturers of devices that read digital TV signals will have to include the ability to read ‘broadcast flags’, which restrict what the viewer could do with the show. With the hype surrounding mobile TV the result could impact the mobile industry…”Another variable that could complicate the broadcast flag debate is the growing number of mobile phones that stream video from television feeds and allow subscribers to watch highlights of television shows. Mobile carriers desperately need consumers to glom to these data-intensive services to keep their revenue numbers growing. If Hollywood appended onerous usage restrictions on such content, it might stifle user interest and adversely affect the industry’s outlook.”

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