[opendtv] Re: Pew Research, Luxuries and MVPD Subscriptions
- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 26 Apr 2009 19:45:20 -0400
John Shutt wrote:
> In a similar vein (ignore the part about OTA being uncompressed!):
http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article.aspx?id=475052
Some of us, myself included, have raised this possibility [of consumers
going back to OTA TV], in view of tough economic times.
I would really like to believe this part:
"Makers of antennas, as well as local broadcasters, hope to drive more
viewers to free television by touting its merits."
The antenna makers, yes, but broadcasters? If what Craig has been saying
for years and years is true, broadcasters prefer to keep their viewers
tethered to MVPDs.
Talking to friends and colleagues, I doubt the MVPDs have much to worry
about. But at least it does appear to me that talk of "ever declining"
OTA use, if it ever was true, has very likely been put on hold. Perhaps,
if the digital multicast offerings OTA improve, "word of mouth" will
create a bit of a turn-around for OTA.
By the way, speaking of OTA, and just as a FYI, it looks like the French
CSA (sort of FCC equivalent) is has advised for the changing of the
rules for French TNT (i.e. DTT) infrastructure. Used to be that the OTA
infrastructure was owned and operated almost entirely by one company,
TDF. The new regime, which applies to DTT, will allow some
liberalization of the old rules. Broadcasters can now place their own
transmit antennas on TDF towers, or even erect their own towers, with
certain restrictions. TDF still has the monopoly of towers in difficult
terrain, or towers taller than 50 meters.
http://www.csa.fr/upload/dossier/avis_csa_arcep_marche_18.pdf
The rationale for this is to make OTA TV more competitive, in view of
the multiple TV distribution media now available in France. They say
that 55 percent of households have primary or secondary sets connected
via OTA now. And 18.3 percent get TV via several distribution media.
Seems to me that this is moving a little closer to the US OTA TV model.
They do mention the tower siting problems, the effect on receive antenna
aiming, etc.
Bert
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