[opendtv] Re: Scrap OTA?
- From: Tom Barry <trbarry@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 01 Nov 2005 20:38:15 -0500
dan.grimes@xxxxxxxx wrote:
> But if the same channels were offered for free over CATV, I would be
> willing to get them off CATV (although I would prefer DBS). That would
> free up a lot of OTA spectrum.
>
The same channels are a somewhat south of free for me on Comcast as a
broadband subscriber. It cost about $10 for the very limited basic
cable but gives me about a $15 discount on the broadband by having it.
(I could be off a couple bucks either way here but it is definitely a
negative amount.)
- Tom
> I'm not serious about suggesting we should scrap OTA broadcasts. Remember,
> I am one of the millions who's primary source of media is OTA (well, not
> really my primary source, but I do watch some OTA programming). But the
> way some speak on this forum, it sounds like OTA is a dying transport
> format and it wouldn't hurt anyone if it just went away.
>
> But if the same channels were offered for free over CATV, I would be
> willing to get them off CATV (although I would prefer DBS). That would
> free up a lot of OTA spectrum.
>
> I would also welcome some competition with an OTA multiprogram service
> provider like USDTV (which I have access to). Unfortunately, USDTV does
> not offer the programming I am willing to pay for. (In reality, there
> isn't much I'd be willing to pay for).
>
> Naturally, the suggestion of scrapping OTA brings ups a lot of other issues
> like monopolies, control over speech, and information availability, etc.
> But those issues probably aren't very important to most of the 85 percent
> using CATV and DBS.
>
> Do you think that local News production would go away if the local networks
> moved to CATV and DBS only? Are local newscasts only consumed by OTA
> customers?
>
> Dan
>
>
>
>
>
> Mark Schubin
>
> <tvmark@earthlink To:
> opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> .net> cc:
>
> Sent by: Subject: [opendtv] Re: Scrap
> OTA?
> opendtv-bounce@fr
>
> eelists.org
>
>
>
>
>
> 11/01/2005 10:47
>
> AM
>
> Please respond to
>
> opendtv
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> dan.grimes@xxxxxxxx wrote:
>
>
>>So if most people get their media over CATV or DBS, why not just scrap
>
> OTA?
>
>>
> So, if most people don't go to graduate school (and they don't), why not
> eliminate grad schools? If the inverse of "most" is millions of people,
> broadcasting still seems to be a good idea.
>
>
>>If free TV is important to provide to the public, why not just make CATV
>>and DBS provide any local news and not-for-profit channels (or whatever
>>content is deemed as important to provide to all citizens) for free
>>(especially cable since they have franchise fees, reduce to offset service
>>cost)?
>>
>>
>
> Who's going to produce that local news and why?
>
>
>>If we need an OTA broadcast for emergencies, why not just make an
>
> emergency
>
>>broadcast channel, requiring only one frequency to cover the entire
>
> country
>
>>(big or small SFN)?
>>
>>
>
> This is actually a very interesting idea. I first saw it proposed by
> Walt Ciciora. Single frerquency won't necessarily work, but a
> high-power, ruggedized NTSC station in each market as the designated
> emergency outlet is not a bad idea at all.
>
>
>>If there are good reasons for an OTA media distribution platform, why not
>>make it like CATV where one entity (in a given market) provides
>
> multiplexed
>
>>digital service just like CATV, but offers local news and not-for-profit
>>channels for free, and must pay a franchise fee?
>>
>>
>
> Again, who produces that news and why?
>
> TTFN,
> Mark
>
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> You can UNSUBSCRIBE from the OpenDTV list in two ways:
>
> - Using the UNSUBSCRIBE command in your user configuration settings at
> FreeLists.org
>
> - By sending a message to: opendtv-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word
> unsubscribe in the subject line.
>
>
>
>
> -- Binary/unsupported file stripped by Ecartis --
> -- Type: image/gif
> -- File: graycol.gif
>
>
> -- Binary/unsupported file stripped by Ecartis --
> -- Type: image/gif
> -- File: ecblank.gif
>
>
> -- Binary/unsupported file stripped by Ecartis --
> -- Type: image/gif
> -- File: pic29458.gif
>
>
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> You can UNSUBSCRIBE from the OpenDTV list in two ways:
>
> - Using the UNSUBSCRIBE command in your user configuration settings at
> FreeLists.org
>
> - By sending a message to: opendtv-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word
> unsubscribe in the subject line.
>
>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You can UNSUBSCRIBE from the OpenDTV list in two ways:
- Using the UNSUBSCRIBE command in your user configuration settings at
FreeLists.org
- By sending a message to: opendtv-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word
unsubscribe in the subject line.
Other related posts:
