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To: nj26

I looked at the copyright laws and there were restrictions on using satellite speakers attached to a television set, but no restriction on having a set (of whatever size) where people may see it in a venue that is open to the public with no admission charge. If a broadcast signal was strong enough that standalone receivers could provide acceptable audio, I would think that--regardless of what the NFL wants--it would be perfectly legal to show the game on a big screen television and have smaller receivers (either TV sets or TV-sound radios) among the crowd for people to listen to.


14 posted on 02/03/2007 6:03:28 PM PST by supercat (Sony delenda est.)
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To: supercat
It depends on whether a church is considered an establishment under the law. An establishment is usually a store or something of the like that is in business for a profit, unlike a church. If a church is an establishment, and the church is over 2000 square feet, then the game can't be shown on more than 4 TVs (1 each per room) no larger than 55 inches diagonal. If they are not, then the game can be shown on a TV of a kind commonly used in homes. In both cases, they can't charge a cover.

The NFL was overreaching. They seemed to want to limit churches to 1 TV of less than 55 inches. That's not what the law says - it's either allowed up to 4 TVs (1 per room) of up to 55 inches, or 1 TV of a size commonly used in homes, which theoretically could be larger.

The NFL's claim that their program couldn't be used as part of some broader church program that delivers a message simply has no basis in the copyright laws. If it did, then Algore could stop you, me and other FReepers from getting together (without charging a cover) to ridicule his crappy movie if it's ever shown on TV again. That's just ridiculous for something shown on the public airwaves.
19 posted on 02/03/2007 6:19:55 PM PST by conservative in nyc
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To: supercat
I looked at the copyright laws and there were restrictions on using satellite speakers attached to a television set, but no restriction on having a set (of whatever size) where people may see it in a venue that is open to the public with no admission charge.

17 USC 1 §110 (5)(B)(2): [It is a copyright violation] "if the performance or display is by audiovisual means, any visual portion of the performance or display is communicated by means of a total of not more than 4 audiovisual devices, of which not more than 1 audiovisual device is located in any 1 room, and no such audiovisual device has a diagonal screen size greater than 55 inches

35 posted on 02/04/2007 12:47:56 AM PST by FreedomCalls (It's the "Statue of Liberty," not the "Statue of Security.")
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