[opendtv] Re: News: The Real Fight Over Fake News

  • From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2008 12:03:54 -0400

Craig Birkmaier wrote:

>> That's why I said to Craig that it isn't FOTA TV that is
>> most threatened by the Internet distribution of TV
>> programming that he advocates.

> You can say it all you want, but it ain't necessarily so...
>
> FOTA will be the first to go - it is a simple question of
> profitability And the ability to push consumers into a
> more profitable distribution scheme.

Honestly, Craig, you sound like a big SUV driver who complains about the
price of gas.

"The ability to push consumers"?? What, like consumers must be
gellyfish? Bob explained to you that he was on the verge of de-tethering
himself. It is the congloms and MVPD companies that will have to adapt
to consumers, not vice versa.

If the congloms really do go Internet distribution, as you propose, and
assuming consumers are not half as brain dead as you think they are, the
consumers are the ones that will opt for non-tethered distribution
models. Presumably, that's what makes the Internet model attractive.

Those who can't make that transition to de-tethered models deserve to
pay whatever price the MVPD demands. Just as the SUV driver deserves to
pay upwards of $100 to fill up. He is, after all, part of the problem.
Inelastic demand creates high prices. Live with it.

> You posted a story about the Pace D/A convertors. The best
> argument that the cable systems have AGAINST ala carte is
> that the analog infrastructure is DUMB. When they move to
> digital, it is trivial to enable/disable individual channels.
> At some point either government intervention, or consumer
> demand is going to make ala carte happen.

The piece on the Pace cable STBs tells you that cable companies are
looking to drop the analog tier as soon as possible. Maybe it's to offer
more VOD. Maybe it's to facilitate a la carte. I don't know. Fact is,
thay are moving for a quick transition, looks like to be completed
within 3 years.

Bert
 
 
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