January 17, 2002 at 9p.m. E.T./P.T. on PBS
(check local listings)
Public libraries embody the American ideal that anybody can read, watch or listen to just about anything they want to. With publications and broadcasting delivered free by the Internet directly to homes, is the information revolution making libraries obsolete? As more people can access this content, the copyright owners — in many cases large corporate publishing entities — are looking for ways to charge fees. A growing chorus of lawyers, librarians, and educators fear the implications of losing free access to information for everyone. \”Our information and communication infrastructure is so central to everything we do,\” says former American Library Association president Nancy Kranich. \”But what\’s really underlying that is the free flow of ideas which is essential to democracy.\” On Friday, January 17, 2003, at 9 P.M., on PBS , NOW with Bill Moyers takes a look into the digital future of intellectual property and the debate that has pit private control against the public domain.
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