e.Digital Corporation (fka EDIG)

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Starz Encore Group's Sie Applauds FCC Decision on Copyright Status Of Subscription VOD as Consumer-Friendly
Wednesday September 10, 8:51 pm ET


ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Sept. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Starz Encore Group LLC (Starz Encore) founder, chairman, and CEO John J. Sie today applauded the decision of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on the copyright status of subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) as "potentially a significant victory for the cable and satellite industries and their millions of customers."
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The FCC, in adopting the so-called "plug and play" agreement between the cable industry and the consumer electronics industry, rejected a portion of the agreement that would have classified SVOD services as "copy never." Starz Encore, in filings with the FCC, had argued that the proposal therefore contravened the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which classified all subscription services as "copy once." It also, Starz Encore said, would have abrogated the rights of cable and satellite customers to copy programming off of their subscription premium services, a right they have enjoyed for decades.

Instead, the FCC adopted a rule which will remove SVOD from the "copy never" category. "We look forward to seeing the final terms of the Commission's action," Sie added. "We have always wanted the viewers of our subscription premium movie services to enjoy the best possible viewing experience, and that includes the right to copy once, for personal use, their favorite films from our services.

He added that the "struggle over copyright has been going on for decades, with Hollywood and its allies generally preferring to limit copying rights for consumers, and the cable and satellite industries on the side of a consumer's right to copy for home personal use. We will continue our efforts to protect the rights and expectations of consumers on this issue. If we are successful, the cable and satellite industries and their customers everywhere will benefit, as will the new SVOD services that are springing up."

Starz Encore Group LLC (Starz Encore) is the largest provider of premium movie services in the United States with approximately 142 million pay units. Starz Encore offerings include the Starz Super Pak®, with up to 13 digital movie channels and about 800 movies per month, Starz On Demand®, the only on-demand pay TV subscription service available on cable, satellite, and broadband platforms, and a suite of advanced video offerings, including STARZ! HD(SM) , STARZ! Hi Res(SM), Sharper Movies HD(SM), and Starz On Demand HD(SM). Starz Encore is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation (NYSE: L - News, LMCb - News), www.starzencore.com .

For further information please contact Tom Southwick, [phone], or cel, [phone], [e-mail] , or Eric W. Becker, [phone], [e-mail] , both of Starz Encore Group.