From: "Strong, Lee" <StrongL at MTMC.ARMY.MIL> To: "WSFAList (E-mail)" <WSFAList at keithlynch.net> Subject: [WSFA] FW: Industry blowing smoke on digital rights Date: Wed, 8 May 2002 10:27:08 -0400 Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net> > -----Original Message----- > From: Strong, Lee > Sent: Wednesday, May 08, 2002 9:54 AM > To: Keith Lynch (E-mail) > Subject: Industry blowing smoke on digital rights > > What Keith said for himself on the question of a hypothetical > contract between television viewers and networks applies equally to all > other viewers. The recent statement by Mr. Jamie Kellner, head of Turner > Broadcasting, that there is some kind of contract between viewer and > network is completely false. Television and radio networks distribute > their media products (programs) free in the hope that viewers will buy the > advertisers' goods and services, which will justify the advertisers' > purchase of television and radio time. Since people do behave in this > way, this is a reasonable expectation about human behavior. However, > there is not and never has been any contract requiring viewers to watch > any particular thing, especially commercials. The normal human reluctance > to watch the same commercial over and over is not "theft" as Mr. Kellner > falsely alleges, but simple good taste. > On the other hand, Mr. Kellner, if we have a contract, how come > Turner Broadcasting isn't broadcasting 20 hours of high quality science > fiction and fantasy every week?