[opendtv] Re: Ted Turner on Media Consolidation
- From: "John Willkie" <johnwillkie@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 15 Nov 2004 22:33:20 -0800
I spend my days doing much the same: attempting to make sense of MPEG-2
private data and generating it, by interfacing to legacy and future MPEG-2
control, automation and traffic systems. Just last night, I found a
one-character "bug" in my code that prevented PIDs from being correct in my
code. (Due to hard drive crashes, this was the third, and presumably the
last time I will have to correct the bug.
I did not mean to imply that you were responsible for Comcast being a big
content aggregator, although I'm certain that you haven't held back those
efforts.
I try to not get lost in the small details and miss the big picture.
I'm not against big conglomerates per se; I to am concerned about media
concentration, but I don't know how to prevent it, absent a new economic and
political system being imposed in the U.S.; but that's something that I
would have strong opposition to.
I have signed more than a few non-disclosure agreements; however, few that
impact any discussions here, with the caveat that when they do, I mention
it.
By the way, Ted Turner has been loudly complaining about media
concentration -- to my ears -- since 1977 or so. Subsequently, he became
the world's most prolific multicaster. What he said 25 or more years ago,
for those of us with a sense of history and continuity, obviates his
rantings now. Just because he says something, doesn't make it true: he
lied to multiple wives about future and current girlfriends.
Were I to look for a public figure whose practice and criticisms of media
size and prerogatives are rational and relevant, I would talk of C-SPAN's
Brian Lamb. But, not his on-air stuff. He created C-SPAN because he
thought the networks were dumbing down the electorate. Only more so these
days. Of-air, his addresses are blistering attacks on the size and content
that media firms direct at us. And, unlike Turner, his network's content is
not much of the same as the stuff he criticizes.
Let's remember back when turner created his own wrestling league just
because he didn't like dealing with the arrogant a*****e behind WWF/WCW.
That must be the bigness that most worries him, because Time Warner shut
down his wrestling "league."
John Willkie
-----Original Message-----
From: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Cliff Benham
Sent: Friday, November 12, 2004 2:14 PM
To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [opendtv] Re: Ted Turner on Media Consolidation
Mr. Wilkie,
The things of which you write are stratospheric=20
compared to the daily mundane technical junk I deal with.
I spend my time attempting to make sense of MPEG type 5=20
private data and finding ways to generate it, and other
related mysteries.=20
I have no connection with and little real interest in the political
and high ended business musings of giant communications companies
except when they compass my ability to watch a tv show or play with=20
a 'new' technology.=20
I wish that I could claim, like Mark Schubin, that I am bound by
strict non-disclosure agreements which prevent me from answering and
replying to your questions and assertions, but in reality,
I simply am not in that league.
I sincerely hope you understand.
-----Original Message-----
From: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of John Willkie
Sent: Friday, November 12, 2004 2:42 PM
To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [opendtv] Re: Ted Turner on Media Consolidation
Really? I'm not so sure that your employment does not color your =
perception
of the problem.
When, for just ONE example, was the LAST time that Comcast acquired the
rights to carry a programming channel that wasn't offered by one of the
seven sisters and for which Comcast didn't try to acquire a stake in the
program provider? I don't follow cable very closely (largely, it's
unnecessary), but I'd venture that the last time that occurred at =
Comcast
was in the 1970's -- perhaps as late as 1983 or so.
Do you think that stance helps or hurts media consolidation?
And, then there's the practice of cable franchising after the =
mid-1970's,
with "rent-a-minority" and "rent-a-citizen". Comcast was not one of the
biggest players in these shell games (letting a local citizens of color =
or
influence, preferably both, have a stake -- or payoff -- in a potential
system as a way of easing the approval through franchising authorities), =
but
largely that was because Comcast was outbid in franchising bids.
Not to forget that cable by it's very essence -- one large company
controlling most or all of the cable households in a zone, region or =
city --
is media consolidation.
If there was no cable, there would be more TV stations. While the =
limits on
TV ownership have increased in recent decades, the economic impact of a
medium size cable system is larger than the economic impact of a single
television station. And, there has never been a limit on the size of a
single cable system, other than those imposed by the franchising
authorities.
More TV stations mean more points of views: limiting TV stations (with
ownership caps) limits points of views. And, as we all know, cable
EXCLUSIVELY provides a menu of programming from TV stations and from
CONSOLIDATED MEDIA GIANTS.
I've told you on-list and off-list that my problem with cable is the
gatekeeper function.
You have trouble perceiving media consolidation. Having been on the =
other
side of the table, I have a different point of view.
Don't throw me slow-pitch insults; I was always good at hitting long =
balls.
Who I work for -- usually myself -- has never had any effect on my =
ability
to discern right from wrong. Sometimes, I pull punches when my economic
interests are at stake; but I tend to clearly know what I am doing.
John Willkie
-----Original Message-----
From: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Cliff Benham
Sent: Friday, November 12, 2004 6:47 AM
To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [opendtv] Re: Ted Turner on Media Consolidation
Fortunately, who I work for has no effect on my ability and right=3D20
to express my beliefs and say what I feel is proper and correct.
-----Original Message-----
From: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of John Willkie
Sent: Thursday, November 11, 2004 7:26 PM
To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [opendtv] Re: Ted Turner on Media Consolidation
Cliff, have you forgotten who you work for? Or, are you against media
consolidation only after the Disney thing fell through? :-)
John Willkie
-----Original Message-----
From: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Cliff Benham
Sent: Thursday, November 11, 2004 11:59 AM
To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [opendtv] Ted Turner on Media Consolidation
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2004/0407.turner.html
=3D20
=3D20
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