[opendtv] The Wired Utility Concept ...
- From: "John Willkie" <johnwillkie@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2004 19:24:43 -0700
Broadcasting is an unlikely candidate -- in countries with free media -- to
ever benefit from the "broadcast utility" concept that Craig offers up here
from time to time. As Dale Kelly has noted, it's against the culture of
broadcasting, at least at this point. Heck, the free speech issues alone
would tie up the matter for decades.
However, "cable" and "telephone" are already utilities. Telephone for the
most part are common carriers and cannot provide content; in the common
carrier realm, they have virtually no free-speech rights, but enable others
to exercise their rights to free speech. Cable has only limited free-speech
rights, and even then, cable firms exercise those rights in a limited
manner; choosing channels, providing local spots, a few hours a decade of
locally-generated programming.
Why not follow the model that has been used to separate electrical
generation from distribution in more than half the states, and do the same
"for" cable and telephone?
Craig should be a big fan of this, since the reach -- by his arguments --
will be greater than doing it "to" broadcasting, since (in his mind)
broadcasting has little to no value and is a declining business.
Cable and telephone firms could spin off their low-profit outside plants to
a company like NTN or Carlton to concentrate on their "core businesses:"
billing for service and confusing consumer with choices and obfuscations.
Heck, they could go the extra step and just sell everything to a satellite
provider.
Heck, why not force the same scenario on the DBS firms as well?
If it would "work" for broadcast, it will work "better" with cable and
telephone. Sure would encourage local, regional and national programmers to
bypass the pernicious "gatekeeper" mode of cable.
Just a modest proposal ...
John Willkie
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