Dear RHF,

It should be obvious that governments, maybe in conjunction with one
another, maybe not, but certainly in conjunction with major media
companies, are trying to set up a communications/entertainment system
which is completely controllable by them - in other words, the ability
to maintain total censorship over the meda, whether it be for content
or payment.

The media companies would like nothing better than to have us PAY each
and every time we WATCH, LISTEN, or READ something - EACH AND EVERY
TIME. Thus there would be no such thing as ownership of a copy of a
movie, of music, or of literature. You want to access it? YOU PAY!

And, of course, ALL governments would like to control what its citizens
can watch, listen to, or read - even the most "benevolent" governments.

Digital media give governments/media companies the power to do this.

Can "digital" be "hacked?" Yes it can but, with the laws now in place,
no one DARES do this by, for example, reverse-engineering, and, even if
someone did "break" a digital code, he would DARE NOT publish (or even
tell anyone) his accomplishment for fear of reprisal, such as
jail-time.

I'm not kidding about all this. It's happening right now. Europe was a
"hot-bed" of hackers but they have been muzzled by threats by their
governments (for example, Finland, on January 1st of this year).
"Hollywood" has used threats of withholding access to its entertainment
if governments do not follow through on muzzling hackers. You may be
reading in the newspapers (as far as you can believe them) that our
government has been pressuring the Chinese government to "crack down:
on hackers in that country (and we all know how "effective" a Chinese
crackdown can be!) and the Chines are doing just that.

Mind you, I certainly support the right of a content owner to have a
reasonable period of exclusivity in return for his/her efforts in
producing something. But 95+ years?

And I support a government's right to muzzle traitorous or terrorist
activity within its borders (to a reasonable extent and presuming the
government itself is not a "terrorist" organization) but NOT to
inhibit/prohibit its citizens from hearing others' legitimate
viewpoints.

Analog radio/communications allows free and uninhibited exchange of
information. Digital radio/communications does not.

As always, my thoughts only.

Best,

Joe

RHF wrote:
For One and All,

Up for your consideration is the simple fact that up until now
the USA and "The World as a whole has had a uniform general
Standard of {Common Reality} of an Analog AM/MW Radio Band;
an FM Radio Band and Shortwave Radio Bands. This allowed
a World-Wide-Commonality at least in some Radio/Receiver
Circuitry.

Does the Digital Radio Future Offer the same opportunity for a
World-Wide-Commonality in some Radio/Receiver Circuitry.

WHAT ABOUT - AM / FM DIGITAL RADIO ?

Will the be a unique Digital Radio Design for AM/FM Radios
built for sale in the USA ?

And a completely different Digital Radio Design for AM/FM Radios
built for sale in The-Rest-of-the-World ?

Will Digital AM/FM Radios sold in Mexico and Canada be using
the USA Digital Strandards or the Univeral Standard of The-Rest-
of-the-World ? Will Americans have to have a Second Radio to
Listen to Digital Radio Transmissions from The-Rest-of-the-World
including Mexico and Canada ?

What is the Canadian AM/FM Digital Radio Standard ?

What is the Mexican AM/FM Digital Radio Standard ?

What is the European AM/FM Digital Radio Standard ?
- - - Who Will Africa Follow ?

What is the Japanese & Korean AM/FM Digital Radio Standard ?
- - - What Will The Rest of Asia Do ?

What will become of the standard 'portable' AM / FM Shortwave Radio ?


WHAT ABOUT - DIGITAL RADIO MONDIALE (DRM) ? ? ?

With Respect To - Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) will the next
generation of built for sale in the USA AM/FM Shortwave Radios
have DRM as part of their built-in Circuitry ?
About - Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM)
DRM = http://www.drm.org/.

Or in the future, will their be a new breed of Stand-Along Shortwave
Radio/Receivers that are "Shortwave Only" with built-in DRM Circuitry ?

About - Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM)
DRM = http://www.drm.org/.


GOING DIGITAL - Seems to be many paths headed-off in many
National {USA} or Regional {Europe} directions where the World
Wide Radio Listener is that last consideration [.]


I Have Questions ! - Do You Have Any Answers ? ~ RHF