As expensive cable providers lose more and more ground to free services like YouTube, and cheap services like NetFlix, it was inevitable that they would try to find a way to stop Google TV before it pushes Viacom or Comcast out of the television racket for good.
The time has come: the National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NCTA) wants the FCC to strictly enforce existing copyright and trademark laws in order to prohibit Google TV and similar services to provide pay TV content. As things stand, big cable companies have a virtual monopoly on cable television content; Viacom is even in the process of suing Youtube for $1 billion over disputed video content. Sony and Google want to open up the playing field, and so far seem to have support from the FCC. They see great incentive to promote content over broadband.
Follow this debate, as it will shape the future of how we see television and movies for decades to come.
[via Wired.com]