Apparently, I was mistaken when I assumed that it was possible to record music off of satellite broadcasts. Fortunately, it’s not something that will remain an impossibility, unless the RIAA has its way.
In August Sirius said it would introduce a small portable device, dubbed the S50, for its subscription radio service that can store 50 hours of music, news and programs from Sirius channels, in a move to narrow the gap with XM Satellite, which has had a portable device on the market since last fall.
Beginning in the fourth quarter, XM will also begin to offer MP3-enabled portable satellite radios developed by Korea’s Samsung Electronics Co Ltd.
Even if the conflict winds up in court, Crockett said in his report he did not believe such a suit would succeed because fair use laws allow users to record songs for their own use.
He said it could would pose a "headline risk" for satellite radio and prompt a lobbying push by the recording industry as the two industries wrangle over a new music rights contract.
Crockett said the RIAA may seek $1 billion plus in music rights fees for a new contract covering 2007 to 2012 to replace the current $80 million pact that expires in 2006.
The recording industry time and time again keeps forgetting those two magic words: fair use. Sooner or later Best Buy will stop selling tapes because it will be illegal to record off of regular radio. Apparently there is no parallel.