[opendtv] Re: Sony U.S execs: Expect a robust holiday season
- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 20 Nov 2005 18:56:34 -0500
> > In my more optimistic moments, I think maybe the dam will
> > break when we get much closer to a definite analog cutoff.
> > In my more pessimistic moments, I instead feel like the
> > CE manufacturers, in collusion with umbillical TV service
> > providers, are using the analog cutoff as the means to
> > force everyone into all-new, non-standard systems and
> > subscription TV.
Craig Birkmaier wrote:
> Bert
>
> Did it ever occur to you that when people are given options
> in the marketplace, they may actually want to move in
> certain directions, as opposed to being forced to do so?
I got beyond that, Craig. People make decisions based on
what their OPTIONS are. So, for example, people went along
leasing their telephone equipment from "The Bell System" for
many decades, until the government stepped in and split up
AT&T. Phone equipment in people's homes used to have enscribed
"Property of the Bell System," or words to that effect. And
the situation in Europe was the same, with each country's
telecom.
Now, you may certainly argue whether or not it was wise to
break up the monopoly, which included both service and
hardware, but I think most people have come to appreciate
that the telephone system has evolved and will continue to do
so in large measure because AT&T was broken up. And that their
telephone rates are way, way lower than they used to be, while
the equipment is much more advanced.
> Take your example. Nobody is forcing ANYONE to subscribe to
> cable or DBS.
Just as no one had a gun to anyone's head to subscribe to
AT&T's telephone product. But people made that decision based
on what options they had.
Now, with the tuner mandate/cable agreement, the govt has
similarly stepped in, trying to recover RF spectrum, but at
the same time breaking up the control TV service providers
have. With the standard cable/OTA receiver, the owners of the
equipment, you and me, can subscribe to any umbillical service,
and/or select OTA stations, without being overly beholden to
any one service.
> Is this modern capitalism at work?
Yes, of course it is. Modern capitalism depends on controls
against monopolies. In any event, I think this topic should be
analyzed in its broader context, because I doubt the general
public *prefers* their TV service, or telephone service, or
many other services they need on a long term basis, to be run
by monopolies. Even if they accept this situation at times.
Bert
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