Broadcast Flag hearings turn on iPod use

Will the fate of the Broadcast Flag turn on how members of congress use digital audio players? If recent Senate hearings are any indication, it just might, and that may not be such a bad thing. At hearings earlier this week on the Broadcast Flag and the RIAA's Audio Flag initiative, Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) commented that his daughter had just bought him an iPod, and asked the RIAA's Mitch Bainwol whether the Audio Flag would stop him from recording audio from the radio onto it. Bainwol, in turn, warned that, without an Audio Flag to block recordings, HD Radio would turn into a major source of piracy. Stevens, a Broadcast Flag supporter, asked whether the RIAA was trying to restrict what he listens to or records "on my own iPod", adding, "we have a disagreement here, I think." We'll take this as meaning there's hope that the Broadcast Flag and Audio Flag can still be derailed. Let's just hope nobody tells Stevens that there's no radio built into his iPod and that its recording functions are fairly rudimentary.

[Ross @ Jan 27th 2006 4:11PM]

So, what this post is subtly suggesting, we as consumers should send TiVo's & iPods to our members of congress so they can start to grasp what these devices are. As well as how constricting the RIAA & MPAA are. Sign me up.

[n8 @ Jan 27th 2006 4:13PM]

Who knew that buying Uncle Ted an iPod would turn him into a big softee? Wow. We should start a movement - all we need to do is buy Congress a Tivo and an iPod and they'll suddenly understand the whole problem with the broadcast flag.

[Alex @ Jan 27th 2006 4:15PM]

The EFF needs to buy every member of congress an iPod and a TiVo asap. Of course, they might not be able accept the "donations" due to lobbying restrictions...

[Pacey @ Jan 27th 2006 4:23PM]

We should find people w/ well designed and attractive systems to invite our elected officials over and show them how things are, the fight to use our own property, and to show them the hurdles people endure to enjoy what they own where they want to enjoy it.

Not to mention, you might be able to convince them to make HDTV's a tax deduction...

[Matthew @ Jan 27th 2006 4:25PM]

Yeah, I think there are some people who are for this broadcast flag stuff because they have not experienced HDTV, MP3 players, and a whole world of awesome stuff. If they start using it in thier everyday lives maybe they would have a better understanding where we are comming from. Just my .02 cents.

[Alric Lopez @ Jan 27th 2006 4:36PM]

Who the F*** is Ted Stevens?

[G @ Jan 27th 2006 4:41PM]

I love my Tivo and Ipod, such a change is coming that our goverment will not be in the "know", as technology changes our knowlege of our selfs, world, and way we should be Free to do what Everyone else does, only Everyone isn't represented by Huge Lobby Money.

Money Changes Everything.

It's the Parasite that is corrupting our world.
Love of Money...
Too bad none of us have an answer, I just hope the children growing up today giving the older Family members ipods find a way to fix the messbeing left for them right now.

Hope Spring Eternal

p.s. sorry, this became a rant, i need to stop reading the Rolling Stone so much. Talk about anti-Riaa!
:)
Freedom Beauty Truth and above all Love!

p.s.s. when in doubt, hug it out...

[DG @ Jan 27th 2006 4:44PM]

Wait, so you're telling me that if cold-hearted, business loving, fat-cat Republican senators see the consequences of their asinine decisions, they might regret said decisions? Wow. Who knew that insulating yourself from any kind of criticism or reality could be so damaging?

[d chalmers @ Jan 27th 2006 4:47PM]

As an Alaskan and a constituent, I can assure you that Ted Stevens has more or less entered late-stage senile dementia. The gadget he refers to as his 'iPod' is in reality a see-through GameBoy Pocket, loaded with Castlevania and a screen magnifier. (To be fair, the music in that game is pretty great.) I believe he uses it primarily to hunt bears and scrape the ice off his windshield.

Can we please get some sane senators advocating basic fair-use and common-sense?

[PloTTer @ Jan 27th 2006 4:50PM]

I agree that this devices must came into every life including member of congress ones.

[G @ Jan 27th 2006 5:05PM]

They don't even know, its all a Dream, and No one wants to wake up from such a perfect reality, you said it, insulated, thats it exactly. People in the habit of lies over truth believe the lies are truth.
No Wow there, just a world of " poor me" vs. "rich me"... with most Everyone caught in the middle of the Dream.
Wake me up...still dare to Dream but, of Warm-heart and Souls instead of greedy minded power predators.
The victim is our whole world and I Belive that the Children of Today have the keys to open the doors to that World. 1984 is here, Wow, but 2084, that's anyones guess.

p.s Don't
Panic...

[Landon @ Jan 27th 2006 5:42PM]

ted steves is a douchebag.

[john @ Jan 27th 2006 8:09PM]

oh man, Ted Stevens is batsh*t crazy!

For the answer to the question "Who the f**k is Ted Stevens?" check this out:

http://thepete.com/theblog/go.php?http://video.lisarein.com/thepete/stuff/Daily_Show_Clips/dstedstevens.mp4

[John @ Jan 27th 2006 8:26PM]

Perhaps all of these politicians should be required to prove that they have one of the devices and have used it for a certain number of hours before being allowed to vote on any bills that would affect the use of them.

That would prevent the anti-corruption regulations being an issue since they would need to be provided with the devices (and perhaps some basic training) in order to make a fair assessment of the technology and gain an understanding of what any proposed regulations would mean for users and for the technology itself.

[x23 @ Jan 27th 2006 9:45PM]

"6. Who the F*** is Ted Stevens?

Posted at 4:36PM on Jan 27th 2006 by Alric Lopez"

he is the longest serving Republican member of the US Senate.

in addition he is third in succession to the Presidency.

he's the chairman of several major committees as well. he is more powerful than Senators from much much much more populous states.

doesn't mean i like him or anything.

the more you know.

[VEGA @ Jan 27th 2006 10:24PM]

Senator Gordon Smith from Oregon is the one who started this bill. Go to the EFF's site and write him a letter. If you live in Portland or Oregon, go pay him a visit.

[Dan @ Jan 27th 2006 10:29PM]

Actually, Denny Hastert, the House Speaker is third in line.

[Brendor @ Jan 27th 2006 11:23PM]

If you interpret "in line" as those in the wings who are not yet president, then yes he is third in line. If the Executive, The vice and the speaker of the house all perish, then yes Ted Stevens as Senate pro-tem will become the acting president until the next scheduled election.

[Finished.Law.School @ Jan 28th 2006 3:36AM]

Proof that the majority of politicians make decisions based on how much you have deposited into their bank account. This is what happens when young people do not vote and do not get involved in politics.
Old useless fuckers have no concern for the collateral damage created by these laws.
And fuck the RIAA and MPAA for continually trying to rape consumers.

[ibookjournalist @ Jan 28th 2006 1:35PM]

With Griffin's Radio Shark Sen. Stevens can record analog FM signals on his computer and put them on his iPod. Maybe Griffin will make one for digital broadcasts and people will sit around and record certain songs on their computer like they did in the past with tapes and a boom box or set it up to record certain shows off the air. Who cares. Their still listening to the show. Why aren't broadcasters happy people are listening no matter how? They already have to compete with people's ear attention to iTunes.