[opendtv] Re: Cablevision to offer HBO Now streaming service - MarketWatch

  • From: Craig Birkmaier <craig@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Wed, 25 Mar 2015 21:22:20 -0400

Ahhhh
Progress!

Clearly the Cablevision agreement to offer HBO Now is covered by a new 
agreement with different terms than the MVPD gets for the linear service. These 
agreements must be negotiated with every MVPD. This may be part of the reason 
other agreements have not been announced. Or there may have been widespread 
resistance to the new terms, and Cablevision was enticed to break the ice.

 The real icebreaker though was the Apple announcement. The MVPD monopoly on 
HBO is over.

Regards
Craig

> On Mar 25, 2015, at 9:02 PM, Manfredi, Albert E 
> <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
> Craig Birkmaier wrote:
> 
>> Title II has nothing to do with it. Nobody will block  HBO
>> bits. **It is up to the MVPDs to decide if they want to sell the
>> new service.** [My emphasis added.]
> 
> I think I finally found the disconnect.
> 
> Craig is saying that the only thing the MVPD/ISPs object to is to collect the 
> monthly fees for HBO Now. Because doing so would conflict with their other 
> model. But that if HBO Now is managed by some other third party, e.g. Apple, 
> or even directly by HBO, then there is no evidence that the MVPD/ISPs are 
> blocking anything.
> 
> Craig may actually be right! Looking at various articles, I've found that the 
> Apple exclusive only applies to other specific platforms, not to the ISPs 
> themselves. If the MVPD/ISPs agree to directly offer HBO to their broadband 
> subscribers themselves, i.e. the ISP collects the fees for HBO, then the 
> exclusive to Apple doesn't apply.
> 
> And *this* is the only thing the MVPD/ISPs are resisting. If, say, HBO itself 
> were to collect their own fees, or if they were to enlist another company 
> like Amazon to do so, then the MVPD/ISPs have said nothing to indicate they'd 
> object or block.
> 
> Finally. Okay, until anything says otherwise, I'll buy this explanation.
> 
> Bert
> 
> 
> 
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