TS News - Watch Satellite TV, Go To Jail

• From: Martyn Williams <martyn@twics.com>
• Date: Sat, 16 Nov 1996 13:37:14 +0900
• From owner-ts-news@tele-satellit.com Fri Nov 15 23: 51:00 1996

TELE-satellit News, 16 November 1996

Watch Satellite TV, Go To Jail
  OTTAWA, Canada, 96/11/16 (TS) -- Canada appears to have taken the lead
from some Asian and Middle Eastern countries this week and is threatening
satellite TV viewers with jail. It's not quite as bad the situation in some
other countries though. The Canadian government has made it clear, via a
brochure issued this week, that criminal charges could be brought against
the 200,000 Canadians that are illegaly watching US satellite TV services.

  Those selling the receivers and decoders for the services are also being
warned that they are breaking the law. The brochure specifies, "Retailers
cannot legally sell such equipment, and everyone involved - pirate,
retailer and purchaser - could be charged with a criminal offense."

  The moves were spurned by worries that the population is increasingly
turning away from Canadian programming and choosing the US channels for
entertainment. Canada has yet to launch a digital satellite broadcasting
service but the government is keen to get one started.
(c)TELE-satellit 1996. All rights reserved.

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