MalloryKeaton

http://www.thewbalchannel.com/money/3930803/detail.html

Bill Could Criminalize Fast-Forwarding DVD Ads, Trailers

Thursday November 18, 2004

A new bill before Congress may eventually have DVD-viewers thinking twice before fast-forwarding through the ads and previews.

The proposed legislation would make fast-forwarding through those ads illegal -- not only in theaters, but also at home, NBC News reported.

The bill allows technology that lets families edit out explicit scenes or material to track the DVD use. But broadcast companies have lobbied hard to keep commercials and movie trailers off limits.

"Their concern is if it becomes easy for people to skip ads, then their whole business model goes down the drain," said Gigi Sohn, of a consumer advocacy group called Public Knowledge.

Public Knowledge is fighting the bill and Sohn said families have been skipping ads ever since the early days of the VCR.

Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, agreed, saying: "Do we really expect to throw people in jail for behavior they've been engaged in for more than a quarter century?"

Media executives said that's not their goal. The Motion Picture Association said it supports other parts of the act, "particularly those provisions that will help combat the theft of motion pictures," NBC News reported.


I think that people should have the right to fast-forward through trailers and commericals if they want to. Why should they be forced to watch them?

haylz80

My feelings exactly, if you have a DVD then you have obviously paid some money for either the purchase, or the rental, so that money should go towards not having to sit through other crap.

It's not like asking for all television ads to be banned, free to air television stations that is, because you don't want to watch them.

I've always disagreed with ads being played before a movie at the theaters as well, you pay lots of money to go see a movie these days, I don't see why you should be subjected to all that advertising as well.

Of course, all those people making lots of money from movie goers aren't going to give a damn about that.

Ambular

This is ridiculous.

What's next? Fines for deleting Spam e-mails? Throwing away junk mail?

What if I just closed my eyes during commericals? And hummed very loudly? Can I be put in jail for that?

Lovesbitch

Of course, I think that falls under the bill that allows major company to buy ownership of your hearing temporary

migamoo

This makes absolutely no sense at all.

Lovesbitch

I want to know how they are planning on inforcing it. Are they randomly gonna burst into our houses as we sit down with popcorn and start fastforawrding.

It would be a massacre, popcorn thrown everywhere! The remote lost to the ground only to be kicked under the sofa.

Why?! Oh why?! Won't someone please think of the children!

haylz80

No, didn't you know - every remote will be fitted with a device that senses when the fast forward button has been pressed, it then self destructs and blows away everything within a 1 mile radius.

It's called viewer participation.

Lovesbitch

All will fear the fast-forwarding button.

haylz80

Actually what I'm scared of is that they might just remove the fast forward button from remotes altogether!

That would be sure to make many people go a bit postal.

Lovesbitch

i highly doubt they would do that. cause then you can't fastforard though the movie and people would get pissed off.

Plus, don't most dvds now have that whole section at the beginning that you arleady can't fast forawrd though. Like you have to wait. I think it costs extra to do.

But if the company doesn't want to spend the extra cash to do that it's not our falut.

haylz80

Yep, I usually pop the DVD in and not bother even turning the TV on until I'm sure all the crap has done it's mandatory screening.

Maybe that would be illegal too, like Ambular's closed eyes and humming trick.

Lovesbitch

I'm sure all future tv's will come with a chip that causes the tv to explode if it's not on as the dvd plays.

SweetLisaLisa

This is just plain stupid. 90% of the time the previews they have on the DVD are previews I've seen a million times. And suppose it's an old DVD, you're telling me I'm going to get in trouble for fast forwarding through a preview to a movie that came out years ago? Please! Don't we have more important things to worry about? Geez

Lovesbitch

i know.

Plus, if a person goes to the movies alot they're gonna watch the previews. You know, to see what looks good.

If a person doesn't go to the movies alot then they'll skip it. How are they losing money? Cuase really, the people that go to the movies tend to watch the previews. Those that don't, skip themm.

haylz80

Of course. There goes my plan to foil the exploding remote.

That's a good point about the skippers.

I think they should put previews on DVDs as a menu option, for those who actually want to see them. I think the Season 3 Alias DVDs has that.