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

  • From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:49:19 -0500

Craig Birkmaier wrote:

>> The FCC may have "no authority" to regulate MVPDs (I think you're
>> wrong on this), but they certainly do have the authority to change
>> the rules for broadcasters in a way that makes sense today.
>
> If you say so. So they can mandaate that broadcasters buy expensive
> content and lose money broadcasting it?

They allow broadcasters to deploy nationwide networks, filled with the same 
content of their choosing nationwide, just as they allow the MVPDs to do. 
What's ambiguous about this? Station groups should be given the same privilege.

As to "expensive content," broadcasters ALREADY transmit the most expensive 
content there is, FOTA, and MVPDs transmit some of the cheapest content there 
is. Level the playing field, and then let the broadcasters sink or swim. Don't 
put burdens on them that MVPDs don't have, and then cheer when they go out of 
business.

>> Did you read the article? Doesn't give percentages, but it looks like
>> NBC and ABC only own 10 stations each. CBS owns 16, but two were for
>> sale in 2007. Fox had the most, 25, but 8 were for sale. And this
>> wikipedia article applied to 2007, so more may well have been sold by
>> now.
>
> Nope. The number of stations is irrelevant. It is the number of homes
> that these stations reach that establishes the national cap.

Sorry, but that is absurd on the face of it. All of these stations generally 
the same type of big stick, Craig. I can't begin to believe that 10 big sticks 
are enough to cover 39 percent of US hoseholds.

From another thread,

> The only way to keep broadcasting viable will be to allow a national
> oligopoly, run by the five conglomerates...

Fair enough, although I stopped thinking that would work when the congloms 
started selling off their O&Os.

Why is it fair enough? Because that is roughly the same number as the major 
MVPDs (DirecTV, Dish, Comcast, Cox, TWC), that reach 85 to 90 percent of 
households. Fair is fair. If you're comfortable with 5 MVPDs being enough to 
not bias news and entertainment, 5 conglom-owned station groups should be even 
MORE adequate, given that *each* OTA home would have access to all five.

Bert
 
 
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