Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk
Path: utzoo!utgpu!jmason2
From: jmason2@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca (Jamie Mason)
Subject: Re: Cable Censorship
Message-ID: <1991Jun27.185621.26132@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca>
Keywords: MTV GONE!
Organization: University of Toronto Computer Services Advisor
References: <2153@tamsun.TAMU.EDU> <1991Jun26.235525.2474@athena.cs.uga.edu> <20877@cs.utexas.edu>
Date: Thu, 27 Jun 1991 18:56:21 GMT

In article <20877@cs.utexas.edu> stokes@cs.utexas.edu (Perry Stokes) writes:
>They said that the cable company is turning off MTV in ALL the homes, and will
>turn it back on if the customer requests they do.

	That *still* stinks.  They are not the parents of the kids who
they feel are endangered.  They have *no business whatsoever* making and
executing such moral judgments *at all*!

	The cable company is a *utility*.  (or at least it should be,
that is how it is used.  Maybe it isn't, legally... yet)  How would the
public react if the phone company decided what kind of phone calls they
thought were good?  Or even blocked all 900 / 976 numbers *without* asking
then demanded that customers call to reactivate them?  How about if the
electric company decided not to supply power to appliances which they
thought were offenisve??

	That cable company has made a BIG mistake.  Their *only* job is
to provide *all* the channels they can get their hands on.  Anything
else, and they are stepping out of line.  I hope Roger's cable (of
Toronto) buys them out, or steals their business when all their customers
cancel service.  Rogers already owns a lot of cable franchise in Texas.

Jamie  ...  Lurker in the Process Table
Written On  Thursday, June 27, 1991  at  02:53:40pm EDT