[opendtv] Re: Users as Toast: The Blocking of Google TV

  • From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Sun, 14 Nov 2010 19:21:41 -0600

Dan Grimes wrote:

> What we are talking about is discrimination based on a
> manufacturer. Is this a valid form of discrimination?

Discrimination in choosing the distribution medium of one's own product. Of 
course it's valid. Just like Sony or Dell, or any product manufacturer, has a 
right to pick and choose the retail outlets that will handle their products. 
Just like Macy's has a right to choose what malls it will allow its stores to 
be built into.

> No, in my opinion, the media conglomerates have the right
> to provide their media openly to the public but when they
> do, they patently do not have the right to prevent some
> from viewing it.

They aren't doing that. They are preventing some *middlemen* from creating 
their own monopolies.

If I can't buy a Dell computer from a 7/11 store, does that mean that Dell is 
preventing certain consumers from buying their products? No. The most important 
thing is, consumers must have the right to walk or drive to other stores. 
That's the key part.

The Apples and the Google TVs of the world are trying to make it so you MUST go 
through their product ONLY, to access the competing TV content sources. And the 
content owners are saying, no need, guys. We don't want to be boxed in. We 
prefer to use the Internet as an open, unwalled system. So you, Sony, make sure 
that in the future your customers don't have to depend on this one middleman, 
the Google search engine, ONLY.

If you do that, we retain the right to block our content from that distribution 
model.

Bert
 
 
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