At 10:27 AM -0500 3/28/05, Manfredi, Albert E wrote: >That's what could happen *if* OTA relied on a "spectrum >utility" concept. But as it is with the current local >ownership caps, it shouldn't happen. The OTA spectrum is >not controlled by one company. You are correct. It is primarily controlled by 5-6 companies, with another 25-50 smaller broadcast groups who do not want to upset the current apple cart because the NTSC franchise continues to be so lucrative. You clearly do not have a clue about that which you are speaking. Independent broadcasters struggle to survive unless they are in large markets where they can collect the crumbs that the O&O stations cannot feed upon. If you want to make money as a broadcasters you need to be affiliated with one of the big five, or you need to be in a major market. > >> Sorry Bert, but it does not. Even at the local level >> it is VERY hard to get a show on the air, unless you >> want to PAY the station for carriage. > >But Craig. It's also hard for a mom and pop operation to >compete against Wendy's. It's hard for small operators >to compete against established companies, which have >learned the ropes over many years and have the advantage >of large scale. No, it is not difficult to compete with Wendy's. All you need is a good product and good service. The problem with broadcast is not one of scale. The problem is access to distribution. > >> This is the main reason that there are so many >> infomercials on broadcast stations - why pay for a >> program that will not produce an audience that will >> attract local advertisers, when someone is willing to >> pay you to run their program? > >That's a fair business decision. The independent >producer can either try to get his stuff on an existing >DTT multiplex or can set up his own transmitter. The >existing DTT broadcaster can either arrange for some >sort of revenue sharing with this independent producer >or the local broadcaster can take the easy way out and >air some brainless infomercials. The local broadcasters is going to take the MOST PROFITABLE way out. Benovolence to independent producers is not a trait one associates with broadcasters. Call up your local broadcasters and find out what they will charge you for a half hour of air time in various time slots. Then figure out if you can produce a program to fill that slot and sell enough commercials to make a profit. Or try buying a broadcast TV station in the top 100 markets...good luck! You may find some LPTV stations for sale, but they do not enjoy and special distribution perks that full power broadcasters enjoy, and thus are typically run on shoestring budgets. >These are standard business decisions. I don't see any >difference between this and running a supermarket, quite >honestly. No Bert, these are not standard business decisions. Television is a business that is heavily regulated, where real competition does not exist. Even if you could buy a station, you are at the mercy of the programming oligopoly for content that will attract a meaningful audience. If it was easy to do this Bert, don;t you think that broadcasters would try? By the way, I typically shop at one of the big grocery chains, but I also shop at several locally owned and operated markets, as well as specialty retailers (bakeries, fish market, etc.). There is no comparison. Well maybe one. Try getting a locally produced food item onto the shelves of a big grocery chain. Regards Craig ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.