[opendtv] Re: An Unsteady Future for Broadcast
- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:18:42 -0600
Tom Barry wrote:
> For instance local OTA broadcasters believe they have
> an ongoing business of acquiring local exclusive rights
> to national network content and then peddling it to the
> cable companies. If Comcast owned NBC that might be
> reversed and we might see more and more deals of local
> broadcasters instead making deals to broadcast cable
> channels OTA while inserting local advertising.
Well, that last part would be fair enough, IMO. But what I don't understand, is
why Comcast would sell anything to OTA stations or station groups. Allowing
Comcast to own OTA stations is a bit like allowing GM or Ford to own public
transportation companies. There is a blatantly obvious conflict of interest
there. What is most in Comcast's interest is to get everyone on cable networks
(which they would frequently benefit from thanks to the local monopolies cable
companies have), and then perhaps use their OTA stations exclusively for
subscription-based mobile stuff.
> As a current non-subscriber to any premium-cable channels
> I guess I'm looking forward to local affiliate deals for
> things like the Syfy channel. Or maybe even a la carte
> local "affiliates" showing various things piecemeal at
> various times of the day from different cable nets.
>
> Local broadcasters will still have the non-tethered
> advantage of maybe 5-10% more potential local audience
> reach plus maybe mobile and could leverage that to
> negotiate for (parts of) cable channels even without any
> real affiliate status.
And local broadcasters ALSO have the newly acquired possibility of offering a
wider array of programs on their allotted frequency channels. The oft-repeated
"analysis," that tries to explain away OTA broadcast by harking back to the
"good old days" when people only had three choices for TV content, is bogus. It
was true decades ago, but even OTA doesn't need to be that way now. So why do
articles like this one keep mentioning that anachronism? E.g., I get more than
30 streams now OTA, and that's with several stations that can't be bothered to
transmit more than one stream.
Seems to me that like anything else, those involved in OTA TV have to be
interested in its survival. My bet is that if FOTA TV does disappear, we'll
start seeing all of the TV over Internet stations also going to a subscription
or pay per view formula. A situation that only some in the TV industry can
possibly love.
Bert
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