[opendtv] Re: Cable in trouble??
- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "OpenDTV (E-mail)" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2005 17:17:27 -0500
Bob Miller wrote:
> The Superbowl plus a loss in the must carry
> battle might just wake up broadcasters.
>
> Sinclair's actions to withhold the Superbowl
> may bear fruit. That is the biggest gun
> broadcasters have. Cable may be shown to have
> no clothes.
...
> One of the engineers at our Fox affiliate
>told me the same thing yesterday. He's
> received a lot of calls asking him if all
> they need is a STB and an antenna for the
> Superbowl in HD.
This is a perfect example of how the
conglomerates hold the cards. If must carry
goes away entirely, the TV customers *will*
find ways to bypass a distribution medium
that doesn't deliver what they want. Nice
thing about OTA distribution is that it can
be done alongside any other right-of-way,
including alongside other OTA nets.
Not so easy to install another cable system
or another satellite system. But the
conglomerates already have OTA capability
of their own, or via affiliates, in most
markets, which they can use to bypass any
other TV medium.
Even without must-carry, I would think the
conglomerates should be able to negotiate
quite easily with local cable companies.
Either you carry these less popular programs
on your system, or I'll block access to this
popular channel. The *customers* will ensure
that their distribution network of choice
carry what they want, or else.
The Superbowl might be an unusually popular
example, but it's not unique.
The only way Craig's idea that eliminating
must-carry would give umbillical distribution
nets more power is *if*, in addition to
eliminating must-carry, you simultaneously
invent a new anti-open-market law to force
separation of content and carriage.
Since OTA nets can and do coexist and compete,
there's no call for creating such anti
competitive laws, IMO. Better to have six
conglomerates as opposed to one local
monopolistic gatekeeper.
Bert
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