[opendtv] Re: How to Watch the Oscars Online, and Why You Probably Can't

  • From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2015 00:58:21 +0000

Monty Solomon posted:

> How to Watch the Oscars Online, and Why You Probably Can't

http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2015/02/22/oscars_live_stream_how_to_watch_2015_academy_awards_online.html

Perfect example of layer upon layer of technically-irrelevant added-on 
constraints. Not just that you need to have MVPD subscription, but also that 
you need to be in a market with and ABC O&O station.

The meaningful part of this article, IMO, is:

"If this all sounds rather cruel and arbitrary from the cord-cutter's 
perspective, it is. But ABC has business reasons for limiting its live stream 
in this way. In short, networks don't make as much money from the ads sold on 
live streams of their telecasts. And, in general, media companies have little 
interest in catering to cord-cutters, whom they view as undermining a bulwark 
of their business models. Yes, ABC networks are free to watch over the air, but 
ABC is owned by Disney, and the company also owns a slew of cable channels."

Media companies may have "little interest" in *promoting* cord cutting, 
naturally. But that's the balancing act that happens when competition 
increases. If actors and pro athletes (in some sports) are grotesquely 
overpaid, it is because the media companies previously had their money infusers 
(aka subscribers) over a barrel. When that reality changes, now the Disneys of 
the world have to decide when playing hardball reaches a point of diminishing 
returns.

Loss of ESPN viewership caused Disney to agree to this Sling TV venture. 
Clearly, they are well aware of the balancing act.

Bert

-----------------------------------
How to Watch the Oscars Online, and Why You Probably Can't
By Will Oremus 

Will Oremus is Slate's senior technology writer. Email him at 
will.oremus@xxxxxxxxx or follow him on Twitter.

Good news: The Oscars will also be broadcast online.

Bad news: You'll only be able to watch the online broadcast if you already have 
a cable TV subscription-in which case, why would you need to watch it online? 
And even if you do have cable, you'll only be able to watch it if you reside in 
one of the eight markets that have ABC-owned-and-operated stations.  

For those who meet the criteria, ABC will live-stream the show on the Web at 
the following URL: http://abc.go.com/watch-live

You can also watch it on mobile devices by downloading the Watch ABC app, which 
is available for free on Apple's App Store, the Google Play store, and the 
Amazon Appstore.

Again, in all of these cases, however, you'll be asked to log in using 
credentials from your pay-TV provider before you can watch the show. No cable, 
no Oscars. And here are the eight markets in which the live stream will be 
available:

*New York
*Los Angeles
*Chicago
*Houston
*Philadelphia
*San Francisco
*Raleigh-Durham
*Fresno

Do you live in Atlanta, Seattle, Detroit, or any other U.S. city aside from the 
eight above? You're out of luck if you were hoping to watch the Oscars online.

What you can watch without a verified cable subscription is an "Oscars 
backstage" live feed that will include red-carpet interviews and such, but not 
the actual telecast. That's available on the Web, the Watch ABC app, or ABC's 
Facebook page. It's designed more as a "second-screen" option for people who 
are watching the actual show on their TV.

If you're a cable cord-cutter, your best bet for watching the actual show is to 
watch it over the air, on a TV with a digital antenna.

If this all sounds rather cruel and arbitrary from the cord-cutter's 
perspective, it is. But ABC has business reasons for limiting its live stream 
in this way. In short, networks don't make as much money from the ads sold on 
live streams of their telecasts. And, in general, media companies have little 
interest in catering to cord-cutters, whom they view as undermining a bulwark 
of their business models. Yes, ABC networks are free to watch over the air, but 
ABC is owned by Disney, and the company also owns a slew of cable channels.

The Oscars are one case where even the much-hyped new "cable for cord-cutters" 
service, Sling TV, won't help you. Sling TV so far is limited to a select group 
of cable channels, including CNN and ESPN, and does not include any of the 
major networks. Aereo, we miss you!
 
 
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