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New FCC Chairman On Digital Restrictions

In his Q&A with CEA Pres.Gary Shapiro, Martin endorsed allowing consumers to have some control over the music and other material they purchase.Martin didn’t elaborate on the crucial question of how that distinction should be made, such as does the “home” also extend to your PSP in your car, or how content should be treated differently to make sure it stays in the approved environment, but not into the non-approved sectors. In the unofficial gaggle Q&A with reporters (and other interested observers) following the event, Martin elaborated only to say that the content protection issue should be viewed in the context as a balance between the needs of consumers and the needs of content providers.In asking Congress to give the Commission authority to reimpose the overturned broadcast flag (and we all know who brought the case that led to said overturning), Martin said he asked for authority over digital TV and digital radio because are versions of Internet Protocol-based services and as such are sufficiently alike.He declined to say exactly what the FCC would do with any new authority, saying the decision over jurisdiction was now in other hands, that is,with Congress.I’m not sure exactly how I feel about DRM yet.

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