[opendtv] Re: NAB: FCC's Wheeler Piles on Praise for Broadcasting | Broadcasting & Cable

  • From: Craig Birkmaier <craig@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Sat, 18 Apr 2015 10:03:29 -0400

On Apr 16, 2015, at 9:30 PM, Manfredi, Albert E
<albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Mostly, this is because in the early days of DTT, Craig used to insist that
ATSC couldn't carry enough channels.

Correct, and it still does not do this well.

Please tell the whole story. The issue is video quality, or more accurately,
compression artifacts. With 1080i you need the entire ~18 Mbps payload to
deliver good quality HDTV, actually more for high action sports and flying
graphics. I still experience highly visible artifacts, especially on our CBS
station, which operates a multiplex with the SD My 11 feed - thus CBS does not
get the full bit rate it needs.

Compression technology has improved, but ATSC is still living in the past with
MPEG-2. Bert might want to keep in mind that all of the OTT sites he champions
are using h.264, and most can negotiate the delivered video quality based on
the bandwidth available for each stream.

Obviously, incorrect, but did he ever understand why he was so off the mark?
Of course not. You show Craig the numbers, and his eyes seem to glaze over.
Even with a bunch of HD choices, the number of channels available is more
than adequate. And no, most ARE NOT duplicates, though some are. That's
because I don't receive all of the Baltimore multiplexes, with antennas in
fireplace. I receive "only" four Baltimore multiplexes, from 46+ miles, with
antennas in fireplace, ground level (2, 11, 45, 54).

The number of channels is irrelevant. The content they deliver, and the ratings
that these channels generate is what is relevant. Some people may be cutting
the cord, but it is NOT because FOTA broadcasts provide all the content they
like or want.

No other choice possible. As of now, each main network has its own multiplex,
with a number of subchannels which are the new networks created for DTT (like
Bounce, Movies! etc.). If the main networks give up their transmitter, they
either go dark, or they piggy-back on some other network.

No station is being forced to return spectrum. The auction is likely to be
successful because it is allowing marginal stations to cash out, and those
channels that can still generate decent ratings to share multiplexes AND get
some cash.

There never was any evidence, and there isn't now. As I explained to Craig
years ago, each DTT multiplex operates very much like a mini-MVPD (only of
course, multiple of these compete in every location). So, within any single
multiplex, you get a small version of the sort of oligopoly you see with the
real MVPDs. But the other multiplexes that exist compete head to head,
throughout the market.

The facts are obvious. If you start sharing transmission assets/expenses you
are part of the local broadcast oligopoly, which was always an oligopoly by
design - a limited number of stations in each market. From the MVPD perspective
these stations make up the core of the basic or lifeline service, which is
typically about 20-25 channels.

So, if Craig calls this mini-MVPD format proof of "oligopoly," one wonders
how long it will take for him to figure out that his "oligopoly" notion is
purely an artifact of MVPD walled gardens he's so devoted to?

No parallel. Just two eras of television co-existing on one delivery medium.
Now we have a new era of Internet TV that is expanding choices, and many home
mow subscribe yo multiple services to access all the content they want.

As if that isn't proof enough, Craig should read the NYT article Monty
posted. The part where HBO needs to cajole middlemen, in order to compete.

No, HBO needs to convince more people to pay $15/mo to access their content.
The new middlemen just expand to options to combine subscriptions in new ways.
Time will tell whether HBO Now will succeed in growing the HBO subscriber base.

Regards
Craig


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