ALA etc. Request "Broadcast Flag" Reply Extension

[Seth Johnson <seth.johnson@realmeasures.dyndns.org>]

(From the FCC ECFS site.  PDF text pasted below.  -- Seth)

http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/retrieve.cgi?native_or_pdf=pdf&id_document=6513398794

In the Matter of                   ) 
                                   ) 
Digital Broadcast Copy Protection  )  MB Docket No. 02-230 
                                   ) 
                                   ) 

To: The Commission 

The American Library Association, the American Association of Law
Libraries, the Association of Research Libraries, the Medical Library
Association, and the Special Library Association (collectively
"Libraries") hereby request a sixty (60) day extension of time in which to
file reply comments to the FCC Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding
Digital Broadcast Copy Protection (MB Docket No. 02-230). Interested
parties, including the Libraries, filed comments on December 6, 2002.  
Under the schedule established by the Commission in the NPRM reply
comments are due to be filed January 17, 2003.  If this extension is
granted, reply comments will be due to be filed on March 17, 2003.  For
the reasons set forth below, the Libraries respectfully request that this
request be granted.

This NPRM raises important issues that may affect the ability of the
public to access and use information distributed and/or maintained in a
digital format.  The importance and significance of this rule making is,
in part, reflected by the more than 6,500 comments that have been filed.  
There are literally thousands of pages that need to be reviewed carefully
and the current schedule does not allow adequate time for that review,
much less the preparation of thoughtful reply comments.  Indeed, a cursory
review of a portion of the filed comments indicate numerous policy and
public issues of interest to the Libraries as well as many other
commenters which warrant detailed and thoughtful replies.  Thus, due to
the volume of the filed comments to be reviewed and the complex and
important issues raised by the Broadcast Flag rule making, the Libraries
believe that an extension of time to and including March 17, 2003 is
necessary and appropriate.

Respectfully submitted,

The American Library Association 
The American Association of Law Libraries 
The Association of Research Libraries 
The Medical Libraries Association 
The Special Libraries Association 

By___________________ 
Professor Peter Jaszi 
Professor Richard Ugelow 
Akua Coppock 
Piper Nieters 
Gunther Oakey 
Samantha Thompson 
Glushko-Samuelson Intellectual Property Law Clinic 
4801 Massachusetts, NW Suite 417 
Washington, DC 20016-8184 

202-274-4148 
December 19, 2002