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发帖数: 6361 | 1 http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/digital-and-mobile/sena
Senate Committee Votes to Make Illegal Streaming of Movies, TV a Felony
June 17, 2011
By Alex Ben Block, THR
Moving to close a possible loophole in the laws against the pirating of
movies, TV shows and other intellectual property, the U.S. Senate Judiciary
Committee on Thursday approved making illegal streaming of video over the
Internet a felony in most cases. The proposed law will now go to the full
Senate for consideration.
The Commercial Felony Streaming Act (S. 978), introduced by Senators Amy
Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas), reconciles a disparity
between the current law and streaming of content and peer-to-peer (P2P)
downloading.
This legislation is supported by the Obama administration and a broad
entertainment industry coalition, including the American Federation of
Musicians (AFM), AFTRA, Directors Guild of America, IATSE and SAG. Others
who have pushed for passage include the MPAA, the Independent Film &
Television Alliance and the National Association of Theatre Owners.
"We commend the Committee for moving this important piece of legislation for
consideration by the Senate. It will close a gaping hole in the law and go
far in protecting the livelihoods of theater employees from the threat posed
by illegal streaming," says NATO President John Fithian. "To the
technicians, designers, construction workers, and artists who support their
families through their work in entertainment, there's no difference between
illegal downloading and illegal streaming - it's all theft that hurts their
work, their wages and their benefits.
"This bill will help ensure that the punishment for these site operators
fits the crime," says Michael O'Leary, Executive Vice President, Government
Affairs for the MPAA.
"The illegal streaming of motion pictures and television programming is as
financially devastating for our industry as is illegal downloading," says
IFTA President Jean Prewitt. "Stealing is stealing, regardless of the means
in which the product is being received.
The bill targets the illegal streaming of video for commercial purposes. The
penalty is increased to up to five years in prison when it involves 10 or
more instances of streaming over a 180-day period. The retail value of the
streamed video must exceed $2,500, or the licenses to the material must be
worth more than $5,000.
The bill follows the suggestion made two months ago by the White House
Office of U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement which urged Congress to
make illegal streaming a felony |
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