[opendtv] Re: News: Reps. Barton, Stearns Offer Alternative DTV Bill

  • From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2009 12:11:07 -0500

Craig Birkmaier wrote:

> The ATSC was simply a convenient "Trojan Horse" for the long ride
> into the sunset for the broadcast TV service. Broadcasters COULD
> have elected to compete with cable and DBS, creating a standard
> that would allow them to deliver 30-40 high quality channels per
> market.

Thing is, Craig, you can repeat the same sentence year after year, but
it doesn't make it any more correct than the first time.

The ATSC did develop a standard that can transmit 30-40 high quality
channels in every market. It is the broadcasters, what with retrans
consent, and the American consumer happy to be suckered into any "pay
nothing now, just pay as you go" scheme that comes along, that prevents
the ATSC standard from being fully exploited.

In that piece about Disney you just posted, for example, it is obvious
that some broadcast channels are perfectly viable. There is nothing
preventing Disney from including ESPN and Disney Channel in its ATSC
multiplexes, other than the way they can reap in bigger profits if they
get people hooked on MVPDs. This has nothing to do with the ATSC
standard at all.

Even with the main network stations making no attempt at efficient use
of their ATSC channels, I can already receive 30 channels now, and
that's with the antenna in the fireplace, for heavens sake. With analog
shutoff, and some infusion of enthusiasm in OTA, that number could
easily be raised to 40 or more, certainly in the bigger markets.

Bert
 
 
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