Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

[BigLee Haslup <biglee AT haslups.com>]

> > you skip a commercial or watch the button you're actually stealing the
> > programming."
>
> That is utter bullshit.  Television signals are broadcast far and wide and 
> are available for anyone to watch or listen or turn their television off 
> completely.  Cable TV signals are paid for by the recipient.

This is true, for the most part.  There have been cases of cable companies 
that pick up someone else's broadcast feed, strip out the original 
commercials and substitute their own commercials.  This IS stealing unless 
the local cable company has negotiated a license to do so.  With the 
exception of egregious cases like that I take the position that once you 
broadcast a signal it is gone and your rights to control what people do 
with it in their own homes ends -- it belongs to the either once it leaves 
the tower.

BigLee