[opendtv] Re: TV
- From: Craig Birkmaier <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:59:49 -0400
On Apr 29, 2013, at 4:09 AM, Albert Manfredi <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
> When I first read this, I had a hunch that the problem was only one of
> semantics. For instance, if I hadn't kept my antenna, but just watched all my
> TV from the various network web sites only, would this Nielsen report have
> called me a "zero TV household"? And it turns out, the answer is yes. Even
> though I do watch regular TV shows all the time.
You are a cable never.
> So, it's not all by smartphones. This amounts to little more than the
> cable-cutter phenomenon, although this group apparently ALSO doesn't watch
> OTA.
It's never been about Smartphones. I consider watching video on a smartphone a
last resort. I will watch short clips, especially news or a You Tube video that
is typically product promotion in nature. The major exception is live sports if
I am unable to keep up with an event in any other way.
My tablet is another story. I do watch video on this every day, but rarely
program length content. It is mostly for news or product education.
It is highly likely that the Zero TV crowd has some IP device connected to a
big screen TV. For this age group, game consoles (Wi, PS3, X-Box) are probably
the most common devices, followed by dedicated devices like Roku or Apple TV.
And for some, like you, they either dedicate a PC or hook up their notebook
computer to the TV.
OTA (and an ugly antenna), are so last century - most of these kids were born
about the time we started the OpenDTV list.
> They do the usual mention of the for-pay OTT sites, an the usual ignoring of
> the fact that the networks and even broadcast stations also have sites of
> their own. Not to mention all the other portals out there.
The network sites are useful - if you can get to them. Many of the devices
listed above are blocked by the servers. And they are limited in access to the
network's content. Paid services such as Netflix and Hulu Plus provide a much
larger portfolio of content, INCLUDING many movies, which are never available
via the networks or local stations. As I mentioned before, much of this is just
the migration from DVD rentals to an OTT streaming model.
> Do read the article. What these reporters are all twisted up inside about is
> not that people have actually stopped watching TV at all. It is that they
> don't have an MVPD subscription. Strangely enough, in their mind,
> "traditional TV" means an MVPD subscription. How very narrow minded of them,
> eh? And what short memories, too! Even watching OTA TV is considered
> "non-traditional." What are these people smoking, anyway?
The reporters or the Zero's?
With 85% of U.S. homes using a MVPD service for the past two decades, I think
this qualifies as traditional. Please keep in mind that this is the only way
people can access a significant portion of the live programming that is of
interest. AN antenna can provide access to some of this content live, however,
as the article reported, the Zero's consider an antenna an eyesore, which they
would only use on rare occasions.
>
> Of course, there's the obligatory picture of the 1970s era CRT TV being
> dumped, although for the life of me, I don't even understand what point that
> picture is trying to make.
Out with the old, in with the new. I took several TVs and CRT computer monitors
to the county recycling dump last week. I have two CRT TVs in the hoist that
have not been turned on in years. We were going to replace one with a flat
panel in our bedroom, but recently decided it would be a waste, as we already
fall asleep watching the TV in the family room…
> In short, the hype is mostly BS. The ONLY message that has any relevance is,
> TV has to migrate more completely to Internet distribution, or it stands to
> lose a growing number of viewers. Yup, even ESPN. Maybe today's OTA
> broadcasters need to run mirrored servers on each of the local broadband
> provider nets.
It's not hype, it is reality. Those born since the '80s have different
priorities, and spending their evenings in front of a TV is a low priority.
Even old folks like my wife and I are now leaving the TV OFF, rather than
turning it on when we walk in the door at night.
As for the networks, what is worth watching?
We get enough "Reality TV" out of Washington DC every day…
Regards
Craig
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You can UNSUBSCRIBE from the OpenDTV list in two ways:
- Using the UNSUBSCRIBE command in your user configuration settings at
FreeLists.org
- By sending a message to: opendtv-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word
unsubscribe in the subject line.
Other related posts: