[opendtv] Re: DTT tuner design

  • From: "johnwillkie" <johnwillkie@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2007 11:15:02 -0700

So, you think the begging for business (I guess they can't find paying
customers) of a cable company begging for business (Digital Max, ect: Cox's
biggest system is San Diego) is equitable to the news/public affairs (no
begging) voice of a TV station that asks for nothing but time.

I wish I had seen you say this in meatspace so I could watch the
contortions.

In time of emergency, do you turn to a Cox cable barker channel, HBO, or do
you tune to one of those local broadcast news channels with the "names you
can't remember, the personalities you can't forget?"  I suspect that you are
somewhat rare in your area from not being to identify these folk.

John Willkie, who agrees that cable is relentless, just like one would
expect of an unprofitable service with encroaching competitors.

-----Mensaje original-----
De: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] En
nombre de Craig Birkmaier
Enviado el: Friday, July 06, 2007 5:54 AM
Para: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Asunto: [opendtv] Re: DTT tuner design

At 12:31 PM -0700 7/5/07, johnwillkie wrote:
>Remember this:  with rare exception, TV stations have a 'voice."  With rare
>exception, cable TV systems have no "voice."

Really?

Cox cable is relentless with promotions for ALL of their services. 
There are constant promos on all of the cable channels, constant ads 
on radio and the broadcast TV stations, and direct mail (in addition 
to the flyers that come in the bill). For broadcasters in these parts 
there are some radio ads during sweeps. I have yet to see a promo for 
DTV in this market.

>
>That is, a general manager, news anchor, commentator, reporter, etc gives
>voice for the station.  Cable just has spots, no speaker.

You mean "Local Personalities?"

I could not tell you the name of any of these people in this market. 
I might recognize a few if they are doing a public gig. They have 
absolutely no influence on me. as obviously I don't watch them.

Cox Cable hired Danny Wuerffel, the Heissman winning quarterback of 
the University of Florida's first national championship football team 
as their spokesman. Who do you think is better recognized in this 
community? Wuerffel or Paige Beck, the ageing news anchor at Channel 
20, the news leader in town?

>
>Or, announce a new innovative channel on your newscast.  Tell viewers (most
>of them on cable) that if they can't get it on cable, to call their cable
>system, because the TV station has made it available to cable systems at no
>extra cost.

First they actually have to create some innovative content to fill 
that multicast. Channel 20 grabbed the CW when it became available in 
this market and runs it in their multiplex at very low quality with 
NO local "personality" other than the ads. The CW IS available on 
cable here - but it AIN'T free, because Channel 20 charges Cox cable 
for ABC in SD, HD and the CW in Low D.

>Promote on-air (main channel) a giveaway contest that ONLY requires a
>tune-in and timed response to one of the sub-channels.  "If you can't get
>this channel on YOUR cable, call your cable company and ask about their
>prize giveaways."
>
>Repeat and cycle as necessary.  For real fun, start these promos a week
>before retrans negotiations.  Run the spots at least once per hour, and
>preferably at times when cable CSR calls are lowest (requiring them to add
>staff.)
>
>Do it across a market, with -- avoiding antitrust -- coordinated scheduling
>of spots so that they either all spread out across an hour, or they all
come
>at the same time (as needed, and mix it up.)
>
>Should I go on?

No. Just explain why broadcasters have not been successful in the 
past 50 years in making money with locally produced content (other 
than news which is now a dying franchise).

Hint: Low Hanging Fruit Pickers

>
>Broadcasters are just concentrating on carriage of the full transport
stream
>right now.  If they don't get it at the federal level, it can quickly turn
>to hand-to-hand combat.  And, unlike cable, broadcasters only ask viewers
>for their time ...

Broadcasters are concentrating on survival now. Their core audience 
continues to decline each year and they haven't a clue about 
harvesting the many local content resources that could form the basis 
for legitimate services that could be carried in their DTV multiplex.

Fortunately, the politicians keep them propped up quite nicely thank you.

Regards
Craig
 
 
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