3 Count: Set Top Blues

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1: Tired of Renting a Cable Set-Top Box? The FCC is Looking for Alternatives

First off today, First off today, Jim Puzzanghera at the Los Angeles Times reports that The Federal Communications Commission has voted 3-2 to begin the work on creating rules that will third parties to create devices that can decode and play pay-TV signals.

The issue pit companies such as Google, TiVo and Vizio against satellite and cable TV providers. Pay TV providers wanted to focus on an app-based economy where they could create applications to run on third party devices while others wanted the freedom to create their own pay TV receivers that could incorporate new features such as improved DVR systems and Internet streaming.

However, such improved devices are still a long, long ways off. The FCC first must craft rules that set boundaries for such devices including protection of copyrighted works, data privacy and more. The ruling follows a similar one in the 60s that ruled telephone networks had to allow third parties to make and sell telephones, ending the long history of individuals renting phones from their phone companies.

2: Kanye West is Reportedly Considering Legal Action Against The Pirate Bay

Next up today, Emil Protalinski at VentureBeat reports that artist Kanye West may be considering a lawsuit against The Pirate Bay after learning that his recent album, The Life of Pablo, became one of the most heavily-pirated files on the site.

West announced that the album would be an exclusive for the music streaming service Tidal, which prompted many of his fans to either say they can not or will not access it that way. As such, at least 500,000 of them have taken to The Pirate Bay, where they have downloaded the file illegally.

According to sources, West did not take the news about the piracy particularly well and is going to be meeting with his legal team to consider action. However, West, as with others, will likely find just how difficult to impossible that is, largely due to technical challenges in proving who operates the site.

3: ​Harper Lee, Author of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ Dies at 89

Finally today, William Grimes at The New York Times reports that author Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird, has died at age 89.

Released in 1960 and made into a popular feature film in 1962, the book has gone on to become an American classic. However, Lee herself remained reclusive, rarely giving interviews or being seen in public.

In recent years, as her health began to fade, she became the subject of copyright controversy as she filed a 2013 lawsuit saying that she was swindled out of the copyright of her iconic book by her agent. In 2015, HarperCollins announced it would be publishing a prequel to To Kill a Mockingbird written by Lee before Mockingbird was published. Many wondered if Lee was truly well enough to be able to authorize the book’s publication.

Suggestions

That’s it for the three count today. We will be back tomorrow with three more copyright links. If you have a link that you want to suggest a link for the column or have any proposals to make it better. Feel free to leave a comment or send me an email. I hope to hear from you.

The 3 Count Logo was created by Justin Goff and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License.