[opendtv] Re: Cablevision to offer HBO Now streaming service - MarketWatch

  • From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2015 22:24:51 +0000

Craig Birkmaier posted:

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/cablevision-to-offer-hbo-now-streaming-service-2015-03-16

In this article, there is no hint that any previous MVPD reluctance at 
streaming a stand-alone HBO service had anything to do with existing contract 
limitations. It says instead:

"Cablevision Systems Corp. became the first cable operator to agree to offer 
HBO's new streaming service, HBO Now, to its broadband customers, the companies 
announced Monday, signaling HBO's first success in convincing a longtime 
partner that its new service won't be cannibalistic."

Whether the service is "cannibalistic" to the walled garden service, or not, 
this sort of agreement is now going to become a net neutrality mandate. This is 
what I had thought the problem was all along, and this is another clear 
demonstration of why we need some sort of net neutrality regulation.

You'll note further down:

"Since HBO first announced its plans last October to offer its service for the 
first time outside the pay-TV bundle, the company has emphasized that its first 
choice was to do so in partnership with its longtime distribution partners that 
are responsible for the vast majority of its revenue."

HBO acting timid. The facts are plain enough. If HBO subscriptions decline 
sharply, and Netflix increase sharply, HBO has to do something even if it's 
going to displease previous middlemen.

Kudos to Cablevision.

The other article Craig posted today was along similar lines.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/apple-in-talks-to-launch-online-tv-service-2015-03-16-221031419

Here, it's a new middleman, Apple, trying to wall up its own online TV service. 
This time, walls not based on geographic concerns, but rather on user hardware 
("... and would be available on Apple devices such as the Apple TV, they 
said."). Another unnecessary set of walls, in the Internet era. A new attempt 
at this sort of thing, after failing to find a role in the existing walled 
garden model (with the X1 STB for Comcast).

Aren't we all lucky that radio, TV, and btw also the Internet, did not 
initially evolve this way? I wonder how these services ever dared to strike out 
on their own?

Bert

 
 
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