[glennaro]

DirecTV programming content (i.e., the signal) is private property. To watch it legally, one needs to purchase the service.

From a moral or ethical perspective, if someone continues to receive the DirecTV service without paying for it (or without the company's permission) that person is a thief.

[Vast Buffalo Wing Conspiracy]

TV "content" is not property; it is copyright - a limited monopoly power granted and enforced by the US government for publicly useful purposes, as specified in the US Constitution. In fact, AFAIK, DirecTV does not "own" most of the copyrighted material it broadcasts (media conglomorates do); what it does "own" is the DirecTV service itself. Please don't confuse a business model, a service, or copyright/patents, etc., with real property. Copyrights are government enforced monoplies of limited duration. This is an important distinction to make, whether you think DirecTV is on the right side of this issue, or not. As to business models, the government is under no obligation to enforce or preserve anyone's business model, no matter how much money their lobbys give to politicians.

[Orbiting_Rosie's_Head]

DirecTV programming content (i.e., the signal) is private property

DirecTV does not own the space time continuum. The signal that is imposed upon it, once broadcast, is public property, no matter which way you look at it. By the logic you are using, I could play a CD on my front porch and charge anybody who walks by and hears it, then have them thrown in jail if they refuse to pay.