AT&T's Version of Six Strikes Launches November 28 > Simple way to avoid copyright issues

If it's copyrighted, pay for it and download it from a legitimate source such as iTunes or Netflix.

Illegal downloading is a high tech form of shoplifting as it is similar to shoplifting a CD or DVD at Best Buy or Target. Downloading illegally is basically theft in my book.

I pay for cable, so how is it theft if I download copies of network TV shows?

It all has to do with licensing. Networks pay broadcasting fees to shows. Your cable company pays a carry fee to the networks and you pay your cable company, so you are in effect paying a broadcast fee. That's different than a download fee since the licensing is different, which is why some downloadable programs (like SNL) have sketches missing.

So it's actually breaking a licensing contract, which while not theft, is illegal.

It's the same content that I can watch over the air for free...