Ayale-com.457 net.followup utzoo!decvax!yale-com!leichter Tue Apr 27 22:28:39 1982 Re: Re: Watch it!!! Re: Music in stores. The actual cases on this issue - playing a radio for "public consumption" in a store - is ridiculously complex. If I remember right, there have been cases that have held that it is ok to have a radio with one speaker, based on the argument that it's there for the staff and the store's customer's just happen to get it "for free"; but if you add additional speakers specifically to let your customer's hear it, you are violating the copyright! (As I recall, this is a fairly old case, so it may have been rendered obsolete by the 1976(?) copyright law.) A guess as to why a radio station might complain: Many stations broadcast and SCA (Sub-Carrier Autorization, I think) signal which can be heard only by those with a decoder. The SCA channel is usually music only, and is sold to stores (i.e. the decoder and authorization to use it) as background music, or whatever. (There are other uses for SCA - there is something called PRN - Physician's Radio Network - which transmits all sorts of goodies for doctors trying to keep up with the latest medical advances.) My guess is that the station involved had an SCA service, and didn't want to see it cut into by people using its "free" channel. BTW, SCA stuff is interesting in that it ISN'T broadcast, by definition. However, you can buy and use decoders and listen to it all you like - you just can't use it commercially. (I have no idea what the exact restrictions on it are.) If you look in the back of magazines like Audio, you'll find ads from people selling SCA decoders. Before buying, though, be aware that SCA is a lo- to medium-fi technology, and most SCA that is broadcast is "elevator music" - "beautiful music", I guess, if you like it. -- Jerry (decvax!yale-comix!leichter) ----------------------------------------------------------------- gopher://quux.org/ conversion by John Goerzen of http://communication.ucsd.edu/A-News/ This Usenet Oldnews Archive article may be copied and distributed freely, provided: 1. There is no money collected for the text(s) of the articles. 2. The following notice remains appended to each copy: The Usenet Oldnews Archive: Compilation Copyright (C) 1981, 1996 Bruce Jones, Henry Spencer, David Wiseman.