[mythtv-users] MythTV in Jan 30 NY Times

[Andy Long]

What amazes me is how the NYT, a newspaper that was part of one of the
most famous free speech cases in US history (NTY v. Sullivan), seems
to paint something like MythTV in a bad light.  Isn't our
experimenting, posting information, and sharing ideas (and yes, even
files) at the forefront of the 1st Amendment and free speech in this
country?  Instead of being hailed for doing something great and
innovative (hell, I'd settle for even legal and interesting), we're
instead painted as "rebels", "mischieveous" and only out for "instant
gratification" as we try to "outwit" the television industry.  What
bullshit.  Has the NYT's reporting staff (no offense to your friend,
but I'm painting him with the same brush) become such a bunch of
corporate lapdogs that they have completely lost objectivity?

The article makes it sound like there is rampant abuse of these poor
multi-billion dollar media conglomorates.  Somehow, the  hundreds of
thousands of myth-tv users (and that number sounds a bit high to me)
who make no money off this are just ravaging poor CBS, NBC and ABC
like a virgin on prom night.  Instead of focusing on the doomsday
scenarios of mythboxes gone mad and TV shows being traded like crazy,
why don't they focus on what is ACTUALLY happening.  If you want to
talk about piracy, fine.  Just don't put Myth in with that group. 
It'd be like me lumping the NYT in with the Weekly World News.  Or,
better yet, how about an article that focuses on a different paradigm,
maybe saying that it's OK for people to trade because all the DVDs are
still flying off the shelves like mad, and that any purported
television revenue losses from piracy are HIGHLY disputed by actual
statistics.  But, that would be too radical apparently.  Instead, it's
much easier to rehash the same story that anyone who makes/builds
their own media device is in bed with criminals and is just out to rip
off the system.  But don't worry, soon you'll be able to buy the shows
that you get for free today, and for only $1.00 too.  What a bargain. 
Thanks, NYT.  You've exposed this whole mythtv group for what it is: 
a giant criminal enterprise that engages in the "trafficking" of
television.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/30/arts/television/30manl.html?ei=5090&en=e82b9db497df2928&ex=1264741200&partner=rssuserland&pagewanted=all&position=




On Sun, 30 Jan 2005 14:01:09 -0800, Brad Templeton
<brad+myth at templetons.com> wrote:
> On Sun, Jan 30, 2005 at 03:40:54PM -0500, Phil Bridges wrote:
> >
> > >
> > >
> > > I'm surprised that no one has yet commented on the mention of MythTV
> > > on the front page of  the Arts seciton of today's (Sunday, Jan 30) New
> > > York Times
> > > (http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/30/arts/television/30manl.html).
> > >
> > > It's quite unfortunate that the article is mainly about unauthorized
> > > distribution of TV shows over the net.  Isaac is described accurately
> > > as being motivated by the shortcomings of his cable box, etc., but in
> > > the context of the article it comes off as if there's something
> > > quasi-legal about it.
> > >
> >
> > Wow!  There are >100,000 MythTV users?
> >
> > It does tend to put a very negative light on Myth, though.  Pretty
> > ridiculous, IMHO.
> >
> 
> Actually, John's a friend of mine so I did write him a note about that
> tone.  But don't expect much.  Reporters cover the interesting issues.
> Right now, with the grokster/morpheus case before the supreme court
> (we are morpheus' lawyers) filesharing is a big interest issue in the
> press.
> 
> I actually don't think the story so much put Myth in a negative light as
> talked about it in a story that mostly put focus on illegal file trading
> so you imply an association.   In fact, any time on this mailing list
> clearly shows that transferring shows to others is an extremely rare
> topic among myth users.   Nor is it always illegal, either.
> 
> But reporters don't get very upset about implying associations, I am
> afraid.
> 
> 
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> 
>