Piracy

Mr Rodgers, piracy advocate (Old wholesome news)

Mr Rodgers, piracy advocate (Old wholesome news)

In the 1970s, the Sony Betamax and VCRs were hitting the shelves, hard. In the beginning, it looked like the (now forgotten) Betamax was going to win the video recording war. By 1976, Universal Studios and Walt Disney Productions feared revenue loss and sued Sony in a CA court. The court ruled in favor of Sony. Universal appealed in 1982 and the 9th Circuit court reversed the decision, which held Sony liable for contributory copyright infringement. That court also held that the main purpose of Betamax was not viewing, but copying. The circuit court went on to suggest damages, injunctive relief, and compulsory licenses. Sony appealed, and in 1984, the case went to the Supreme Court.

One of the most prominent witnesses to address the Supreme Court on this case was Fred (Mr) Rodgers. His testimony, in favor of video recording of TV shows, was:

"Some public stations, as well as commercial stations, program the 'Neighborhood' at hours when some children cannot use it... I have always felt that with the advent of all of this new technology that allows people to tape the 'Neighborhood' off-the-air, and I'm speaking for the 'Neighborhood' because that's what I produce, that they then become much more active in the programming of their family's television life. Very frankly, I am opposed to people being programmed by others. My whole approach in broadcasting has always been that YOU are an important person just the way you are. YOU can make healthy decisions. Maybe I'm going on too long, but I just feel that anything that allows a person to be more active in the control of his or her life, in a healthy way, is important."

The Supreme Court ruled 5–4 to reverse the Ninth Circuit, ruling in favor of Sony and the ability to record video, and cited Rogers's comments in their ruling: "He testified that he had absolutely no objection to home taping for noncommercial use and expressed the opinion that it is a real service to families to be able to record children's programs and to show them at appropriate times." The wholesome act of parents recording off-hour children's shows for their children prevented the 1984 Supreme Court from becoming piracy authoritarian extremists.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Piracy/comments/1lvpudc/mr_rodgers_piracy_advocate_old_wholesome_news/
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Discussion

kyle1234513

Mr. Rogers, the OG.

10 hours ago
sick1057

Fred ROGERS

Wikipedia link

8 hours ago