[opendtv] Re: Broadcasters Lobby FCC for Cross-Ownership and Duopolies

  • From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2010 16:32:39 -0500

Craig Birkmaier wrote:

> Actually, Time Warner Cable and HBO are separate divisions of a large
> conglomerate. Time Warnet Cable buys programming like HBO just like
> Sinclair buys programming.
>
> The difference is that Time Warner Cable collects monthly subscriber
> fees for most extended basic channels and much larger monthly fees for
> premium channels like HBO - and now they can also sell movies on demand
> to individual subscribers.

The difference is that the FCC will not allow a Sinclair to broadcast ANY 
content nationwide, as cable and DBS systems do routinely. The difference is 
also that a company like Sinclair cannot, for example, agree to broadcast HBO 
FOTA, with ads inserted, as they do for the very expensive network shows. They 
simply cannot go for that content. MVPDs have the exclusive.

So my point is, it's just not true that broadcasters of today create content, 
and should therefore be subjected to different rules from MVPDs. TWC is owned 
by a conglom, is it not? And therefore, if anything, is much more similar to 
the disappearing O&Os than it is to OTA station groups like Sinclair.

> Their tw0-way infrastructure lets them track your usage in a manner much
> like Ma Bell charged you for long distance calls.

Good for them. This has nothing to do with the Dan's points, though. We are 
talking about why the FCC regulates the OTA station groups more than the MVPDs, 
as if station groups create all their content and MVPDs create no content. It's 
simply an archaic concept that needs to go.

> Only a few smaller stations have been sold by the networks. They are all
> near their national caps.

Huh? I thought the only network close to its cap was NBC, and they are selling 
off to Comcast. I thought that ABC and CBS have already announced that they're 
getting rid of their stations. You're the one that keeps posting these 
articles, Craig. How do you suddenly forget? And never mind CW and MNT, who 
have very few, if any, O&Os, and yet their stations are subject to the same 
archaic restrictions.

Bert
 
 
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