January 17th … this is actually one of the most important dates (at least in the USA, initially) in tech history. Ironically, it wasn’t a tech-breakthrough, but a legal one.
If you’re not aware, you’re to be forgiven as this was 40th anniversary of the Supreme Court Betamax decision. But it had everlasting effect on the U.S. that very, very definitely affects all of us up to this day, in so many areas that I’ve lost count.
Up to this point and actually, in truth, TV production companies and Hollywood felt that recording a TV show for watching at a different time, was very literally, criminal … Not a joke.
Fortunately and more surprisingly, the Supreme Court had a different opinion, despite not actually realizing the consequences of their decision and de-criminalization of watching TV “time-shifted”.
In the battle between unlimited/unabashed corporate greed and common sense, this was one time where the good guys won … up to a point. This was undoubtedly something the tech-illiterate Supreme Court absolutely didn’t vaguely understand when pontificating the decision as to allowing restrictions or no restrictions on media … This had been expected by a few, but unanticipated by most, as to how this was to have such incredibly widespread impact since the very invention of the phonograph in 1877 across the entirety of technology to this every day.
Very simply … should you have the right to watch/listen to media you purchased at your home when it’s best for your needs? You paid for it … so WHY does the time/location you do this, somehow matter? Not so simply, this decision had implications far beyond just this issue, for setting implications for the future. We are discussing censorship, media manipulation and liberal corporate greed … this was the first significant time Hollywood values were challenged, and lost. I believe that this decision opened the door for others that saw a different future than the increasingly liberal Hollywood projected.
The major media suppliers, Sony, Warner, etc., wanted absolutely nothing available to listen/watch for the public, even after the public already had paid for said items, to be able to hear/watch these items outside of the specific points where they had already paid for them (in front of their home TV’s). Somehow, this was considered a crime in their eyes. Consequently, to quote the TV show the “Outer Limits”, “sit quietly and we will control all that you see and hear” … The loss of controlling the time/date you absorb their “stuff”, was in fact the first crack in the “wall” of liberal control of all media. The liberal media and Hollywood had a better grasp of what it meant, even when the conservative parties didn’t. It wasn’t solely about the rights for a movie/TV show that was under some kind of threat, it ultimately only was about control of the viewer.
But as of 1984, common sense, which isn’t all that common … prevailed. You could now watch Dynasty or if you had better taste, “Dallas” at YOUR leisure. As a fervent fan of “JR”, I’m certain he’d have approved.
I actually listened to “Dallas” driving from Houston to Dallas on Friday night on a Sony “Watchman”, to see what Sue Ellen was worried about, and if the family feud with the perpetual “a day late & a dollar short” Cliff Barnes, was starting up again. My wife was filling me in on what had happened, as I as I cruised I-45 northbound searching for an analog TV signal. This was all due to the absurdity and greed of Hollywood.
Having to carry a rare and expensive, micro battery-powered CRT TV to watch a show, is as ridiculous as it sounds today. So that seemingly innocuous event in 1984 had far, far reaching impact beyond what most could have predicted. Note: even Elon Musk couldn’t have guessed, he was only 13 years old at that that point. So, cut him some slack …
After just attending my 25th CES show in Vegas, the media is every bit (if not more) as restrictive as ever before, trying to prevent anyone with that all-too-rare common sense from listening/viewing anything that they don’t want you to know … preventing you from watching at your convenience is just the precursor to censorship. If they can’t control when you watch their pre-designated diatribe, it can’t to disallow what you can watch. A liberal nightmare come alive … Hence, the rise of Fox and other more truthful outlets.
The time-shift litigated viewing, is and was, a red-herring for their true designs. Yes, it very definitely was about the money … but it was also about controlling when, where and what you viewed. As I stated before … the consequences of the Supreme Court had far more reaching effect than just time-shifted viewing. This was the proverbial “camel’s nose under the tent.”
No wonder these same national media & production companies, very literally hide and lock themselves inside their booths in CES … When they come outside, the real world invades their imaginary world with real-world consequences. The talking heads pushing their personal propaganda fervently avoid any contact with reality by avoiding people attending and twisting news from the show. I’ve had personal interactions with them several years ago and they couldn’t have been more shocked by people disagreeing with them … I actually asked them questions that weren’t pandering. The most common reaction was stuttering, gaping mouths and bulging eyes. Now these folks hide on the 2nd level of their buildings, far above the floor, over looking a remote area of CES, to avoid ANY contact with the public.
The old expression: “They can’t see the forest for the trees” couldn’t possibly be more true … Even after over 40 years, conglomerates like Disney, Sony and many, many others with their own versions of “Gordon Gekko” running Hollywood and liberal news still can’t understand … greed has limits … and consequences.