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 Press  Statement  of  Chairman  Michael  K.  Powell 
 Re:  Digital  Broadcast  Content  Protection,  Report  and  Order  and  Further  Notice  of  Proposed  Rulemaking 
 The  digital  television  transition  rolls  on.  The  Commission’s  adoption  of  the  “broadcast  flag”  represents  another  important  step  in  the  digital  television  transition. 
 Today’s  decision  strikes  a  careful  balance  between  content  protection  and  technology  innovation  in  order  to  promote  consumer  interests.  In  working  through  the  difficult 
 technical  and  policy  questions  in  this  area,  I  am  very  pleased  that  we  have  once  again  crafted  digital  TV  policy  in  a  bipartisan  manner. 


 The  public  will  gain  real  benefits  from  the  broadcast  flag.  First,  the  broadcast  flag  decision  is  an  important  step  toward  preserving  the  viability  of  free  over-  the-  air 
 television.  Because  broadcast  TV  is  transmitted  "in  the  clear,  "  it  is  more  susceptible  than  encrypted  cable  or  satellite  programming  to  being  captured  and  retransmitted  via  the 
 Internet.  The  widespread  redistribution  of  broadcast  TV  content  on  the  Internet  would  unnecessarily  drive  high  value  programming  to  more  secure  delivery  platforms.  The 
 losers  would  be  the  40  million  Americans  who  rely  exclusively  on  free  over-  the-  air  TV. 
 Second,  our  broadcast  flag  decision  will  promote  innovation  in  content  protection  technologies.  As  recommended  by  many  in  the  information  technology  community,  we 
 have  identified  objective  criteria  to  guide  our  decisions  on  new  content  technologies.  These  criteria  lay  out  a  roadmap  for  companies  seeking  to  bring  new  technologies  to 
 market.  These  technologies  are  vitally  important  to  the  distribution  of  content  to  --  and  within  --  the  home.  These  technologies  could  facilitate  dramatic  changes  in  the  way 
 Americans  acquire  and  use  media.  So  it  is  critical  that  the  Commission  create  an  objective,  rapid,  and  minimally  intrusive  process  for  ensuring  that  new  technologies  are 
 consistent  with  certain  core  principles  such  as  interoperability  and  robustness.  It  these  principles  that  will  animate  our  process  for  reviewing  new  content  protection 
 technologies. 
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