If You Can't Beat Em, Pass a Law
 

It's not only more outlets. It's that plus the rise of user gererated and published content, which is still in it's infancy, but will, at some point, have a very large share, if not a majority, of all content.

If You Can't Beat Em, Pass a Law
 

Alright, I know a few more facts. It's similar, but not the same. The principle difference is that in directv/echostar, a number of customers had no alternative way to get tv--there's no cable out in the sticks. On XM/Sirius, the alternatives--broadcast radio, CDs, iPods, etc., are available pretty much everywhere as well (or at least there's much less of a problem with rural customers).

Thompsonmania!
 

South Carolinians look at Fred Thompson, and they like what they see:

• "To be honest with you, it seems to be a personality thing," said Wyndham Owens, a 57-year-old builder from Wagener, S.C., who votes Republican. "From what little I've seen, he seems to be conservative, yet not stupid."

He's a double-threat!

If You Can't Beat Em, Pass a Law
 

FCC regulates cable tv as well. So they could seek to apply it there, just as they seek to apply obscenity rules to cable tv. That said, the rationale for regulating content on broadcast tv is different for cable.

Thompsonmania!
 

I'm glad that's the standard Rs have sunk to: Not stupid.

If You Can't Beat Em, Pass a Law
 

one of my clients was gun shy re. antitrust boomeranging from filing a patent complaint. So when we were tapped to sue a company on an automotive patent we had to meet with DC antitrust counsel. The guy was probably billing twice what I did, and was completely full of hot air- BUT his point was that my patent was itself the relevant market, or could very likely be. so what he said was different from what everyone has said to GGG or you or burger.

after about an hour of showing him existing alternatives he still was not ready to green light us. So i told him I was going to write the client that if Antitrust guy's opinion was right, the company should just stop patenting anything becasue it was circular that the patents could never be used. He backed down a little bit then.

If You Can't Beat Em, Pass a Law
 

Let me know next time you're in town. I'll give you an antitrust primer for the price of a beer.

If You Can't Beat Em, Pass a Law
 

Why were you arguing with him when he was green lighting you?

And why didn't you call Ty?

If You Can't Beat Em, Pass a Law
 

Double-reverse psychology. These fucking antitrust guys, they'll never outthink a good patent lawyer.

Thompsonmania!
 

They're ready for a change.

If You Can't Beat Em, Pass a Law
 

i dropped a "not." i have tried to meet Ty but he lives to far from where i am all the time.

If You Can't Beat Em, Pass a Law
 

The guy sounds like an idiot.

And this meeting may have occurred before some clarification from the appellate courts that, e.g., a patent does not itself confer market power. Filing a good faith patent infringement complaint won't give anyone a serious antitrust action against you.

S_A_M

Thompsonmania!
 

It differentiates us from the Democrats

Thompsonmania!
 

It's a big tent, damnit.

If You Can't Beat Em, Pass a Law
 

My concern re the Fairness Doctrine is not with national TV, given the proliferation of cable channels, not to mention the interwebs and other sources of info. My concern is with local markets, where the decisions of individual news outlets may make it hard to get other views. Suppose you live in Dubuque, and the only local TV news is on KCRG and KWWL. If they decide to cover only one side of a story, that could have a huge impact.

More generally, I've posted again and again over the years how the free market can result in crappy news reporting. The airwaves are a public resource. If we're interested in having a robust exchange of ideas, then we don't need to simply auction them off.