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

  • From: Craig Birkmaier <craig@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2015 09:38:53 -0500

> On Feb 25, 2015, at 9:49 PM, Manfredi, Albert E 
> <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
> And as I've said multiple times, you are missing the bigger picture. What you 
> describe is merely TVE. Hardly exploiting this two-way Internet medium. And 
> as a consequence of the fact that TVE is not exploiting the new technology, 
> bound to change.

How can you justify the statement above?

What is the difference between a TVE site that offers live streams AND VOD 
access to the content library of that owner, and other OTT sites, other than 
the "payment" being made as part of your MVPD subscription?

How do other sites exploit the Internet medium in ways that a TVE site cannot?

> 
> Have you been able to subscribe to Comcast's TVE yet, Craig? Why can't youWhy 
> can't you get the greater choice of content Comcast TVE offers, if you 
> already have broadband?
> 
Because your question is absurd. 

Why don't you shop at Publix? You do buy groceries, correct?

I do not live in a market served by Comcast. I DO live in a market served by 
Cox, Dish and DirecTV. If I subscribe to one of these services, which I do, I 
get the same access to TVE sites as subscribers to Comcast.

Stop this ridiculous line of disinformation.

> And when/as/if you will be graciously permitted to subscribe to Comcast's 
> TVE, because they offer a better TVE package than what Cox offers, that's 
> when you will see the MVPDs becoming OTT sites rather than what they are now. 
> For obvious reasons I've mentioned many times.

More disinformation. 

First, TVE sites are not operated by the MVPD middlemen, they are operated by 
the content owners who license related linear network streams to the MVPDs. 

Second, MVPDs are carefully evolving from what they are today to a future that 
will largely be Internet based. But this will take years, as they transition 
the linear business model to a model in which live streams - when appropriate - 
are offered alongside large libraries of content available on demand.

As I mentioned recently, the best way to think of this is that the content 
owners will operate the OTT sites, and license the rights to MVPDs who will 
sell bundles of content. It is possible that someday in the future we might buy 
these bundles from ANY MVPD, be it Cox or Comcast, or Dish Sling, or Sony Play 
Station Vue, or  whatever Verizon comes up with, or something yet to be 
introduced by Apple, or Google, or...

So yes, the future will not look like today. Imagine that!

> 
>> Have you signed up for Sling yet Bert?
> 
> Let's explore why you would ask that, Craig. Tell me what Sling TV's ace in 
> the hole is, i.e. what gives it appeal as a competitive OTT site, what makes 
> it unlike a traditional MVPD, and then explain to me why I would want to 
> subscribe to it. It is because you feel compelled to call it a VMVPD, for 
> political reasons, that you are missing the obvious here. It would have been 
> far more logical to ask if I'd subscribed to CBS All Access! Another OTT site 
> that HARDLY qualifies as VMVPD.

I did ask if you have signed up for CBS All Access several time, just as I have 
asked if you have signed up for Sling. 

The reality is that you do not want to pay for either service, no matter what 
they are called. You have admitted that you have Amazon Prime, primarily 
because of other features, like free shipping, that are BUNDLED with that 
service.

As for reasons why you might choose to subscribe?

For CBS All Access, I can't think of any. You get CBS FOTA, and have access to 
most CBS shows via Hulu and CBS.com. The only real advantage would be mobile 
access to live streams, which you have not expressed much interest in. 

For Dish Sling, the reason is no different than why you are a cord never. You 
choose not to pay for all of the content behind the MVPD pay walls. You have 
expressed no interest in watching live sports, and if you can eventually gain 
access to some of this content for free via the Internet, you are a happy 
camper. 

The fact that you can now have access to a subset of this content at a reduced 
price does not seem to appeal to you, despite the fact that you claim this is 
some kind of major breakthrough - a sea change in the history of pay TV.

Nothing is going to change your attitudes about this, short of everything being 
offered in the free and clear, albeit with commercials.

Regards
Craig 
 
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