[opendtv] Re: Bob, where are the tunerless monitors?

  • From: "johnwillkie" <johnwillkie@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2007 18:09:26 -0700

It's irrelevant, as I said previously. 

Such an analysis disadvantages successful companies, and elevates
unsuccessful ones.

More relevant is what you (or others) have access to in a community, or
across communities.

Also, most people don't equate ownership (equity) with control.  Control is
much more important.  Most of these are highly-concentrated companies in
terms of control, but diffused ownership by tens of thousands of
shareholders (or millions.)

And, I can't respond to your query, because they didn't go on a expansion
and buying spree in the 1990's.  As those who were awake and memories
recall, the expansion and buying spree in media was in the 1980's.  

Think: National Amusements buying Viacom.  Think: Tci buying up every cheap,
two-bit cable system with three channels of sometimes clear video.  Think
Turner buying MGM.  Think Turner refinancing Turner Networks a few weeks
later.  Think Warner Cable going to Viacom.

Think Mike Milken.  He financed most of these deais, or was going to, until
others gave better deals to the purchaser.

Milken was "out of it" effective 1990.  

The 1990's was about radio consolidation, almost exclusively.  Sure, the
1991 passage of the network ownership of program distributors opened up
things a bit, permitting Viacom to buy CBS (before shedding it again) and
Disney to buy ABC.

They were able to do so due to the "voices test" that the FCC imposed, in no
small part due to the work and thoughts of Barbara Kreisman.  I would offer
that the "voices" test came indirectly out of the "Voicecount" project I was
once involved in.

A voices test doesn't ask "what percentage of the viewers will your stations
have", but "if we approve this merger, how many independent media voices
will this town offer?"

John Willkie



-----Mensaje original-----
De: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] En
nombre de Craig Birkmaier
Enviado el: Friday, July 20, 2007 4:54 AM
Para: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Asunto: [opendtv] Re: Bob, where are the tunerless monitors?

At 1:19 PM -0400 7/18/07, Tom Barry wrote:
>Measuring ad revenue from cable channels and non-cable channels is 
>almost an artificial distinction these days since the same 5 
>companies own them both, or at least the content for both.
>
>I wonder what is the total TV ad revenue per year is for all 
>channels NOT owned by Viacom, Fox, Disney, GE, or TW?
>
>- Tom

Thanks for bringing this up Tom.

Yesterday , while working the thought occurred to me that I should 
ask John W. why these five companies went on a expansion and buying 
spree in the '90s, developing new cable networks and  gobbling up 
almost every existing cable network, with the net result that they 
now control 90% of what EVERYONE watches...again.

If the broadcast networks are SOOOOOOOO great, why not follow John's 
lead and not worry about cable?

Regards
Craig
 

 
 
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