Days of recording network TV shows coming to an end?

I looked but couldn't find a thread on this. Was just talking with a friend who said she's had difficulty recording shows on her local Fox station. After about 10 minutes, she gets a notice saying copyrighted material cannot be copied, and her recorder shuts off. She said she called the station, and the guy she talked with had never heard of that. He called Fox offices in New York and found out, yep, that's the deal on certain shows, and there's more of that on the way.

No doubt I'm the last person on the board to know this, but I figured I'd start a thread on it anyway. Funny how we're living in a world where so many of us are out of work, and newspapers have been giving away the content online for free for years, and now TV networks are beginning to block the recording of their shows. I'm sure before long this could develop into a Journalism topics topic, if it's not one already. But I'll start it here and see what happens.

Anyone else running into this? This came up because I mentioned I am DVDing the ESPN special on the 1958 NFL championship game for a friend.

 

Havent had a problem, but might tape something tomorrow just to see

 

She said "The Mentalist" is one of the shows she has this problem with. That's CBS, right? So it's not just Fox.

 

Why on Earth (or how for that matter) would the networks do this? Who cares when people watch the show as long as they watch it and see the commercials? It's not as if the networks make any money from the actual viewer.

I find this difficult to believe.

 

Box set, season 1... 2... 3

 

What is she using to make the recording?

I tape multiple shows on a lot of different channels -- "CSI: NY," "Top Chef NYC," "House," "Brothers & Sisters" -- with an ordinary VCR and haven't had a problem.

 

I didn't ask her. I will next time we talk. She just said "record." I'm guessing based on what the network person said, it won't matter, though.

 

I assume it's because you'll fast-forward through the commercials. It's short-sighted and foolish, but that would be why they would do it.

FWIW, I work for a network affiliate and haven't heard of this.

 

So that's why Feb. 17, 2009 is such a big day for them.

 

Blame Microsoft:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9943631-7.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

And it will be the end of the television shows which do this, if you ask me.

 

They'd rather you watch the shows online, visit their sites, see their ads.

 

C'mon network TV. Don't you know it's OK to put anything and everything you produce out there for free, to be copied and posted or broadcast elsewhere, especially on the internet? It can't hurt can it? After all, any and all information is free! And that goes for you too music industry! [/newspaper industry]