[opendtv] Re: Twang's Tuesday Tribune (Mark's Monday Memo)
- From: "John Willkie" <johnwillkie@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 1 May 2004 10:18:48 -0700
1. I believe you mean "direct" or "selected" access; random access just
means that you get "something."
Me, I get breaking news from KNX-1070 or KOGO (if it's local); when I want
more information, I look to the AP (via NY Times) or Dow Jones (via the Wall
Street Journal).
2. To the second question, you answer should be no, rather it permits me to
select hearing just the news I want to "hear." Those of us who've worked in
news know the value of radio in this context: a headline or bulletin
service. This can be easily accomplished, and would be a more efficient use
of spectrum (save for events like 9/11) if you could just visit the headline
service's web site and get more detailed information. That's a future
product/service that I plan to offer: it's part of the "digital spot news"
business plan.
Doing a 30 minute continuous loop is -- even on cable -- just damned
inefficient. Altho, I do watch Headline news just to see and hear Rudi
Bakhtiar.
3. The links for breaking or recent news stories should always be easy to
find on a web site. There are ways (unused for now) that can speed this up,
without the need for a continuous feed.
4. Actually, headline services do give less detail than KNX (and I assume
all the now-Infinity, former CBS all news stations: at least KNX has
recently revamped and amped up their format, which had not changed much
since 1969 or so.
5. A continuous news loop is UNSUITABLE for broadcast. It says "I have
bandwidth to burn, and I don't have a clue how to use it."
6. Wouldn't it be a more efficient use of the spectrum -- considering
download/access time -- to compress the news report by eliminating the
video -- largely superfluous, save when there's not a good news reporter or
writer on the scene -- and just giving you the news as text or audio? The
difference is seeing a nine second (inconclusive) video clip or using the
same bandwidth to transmit the entire audio from a 30 minute speech. Where
pictures can help, why not send stills or a slide show, like the NY Times
manages to do quite well from time to time on major events?
7. Alas, there would be much word by ATSC groups ahead for PSIP to work
like that, unless each segment broadcast had it's own PSIP, and even then
the data management issues on the client side would be tremendous. I do see
several ways to provide what you want (news on demand) using data broadcast
techniques, in line with what I've outlined above. It's a few years out,
due to several factors.
John Willkie
-----Original Message-----
From: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Tom Barry
Sent: Saturday, May 01, 2004 4:29 AM
To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [opendtv] Re: Twang's Tuesday Tribune (Mark's Monday Memo)
inline ...
John Willkie wrote:
> Gee, an interesting technological exercise.
>
> How is it any better than my getting just about all the news I need in a
> half hour of listening to a commercial all news station?
>
As I mentioned, on the all news station you have to listen to the
entire loop. The times when I've watched CNN Headline News I either
wanted a summary or was interested in some breaking event. So the
random access would be nice on mobile.
> Does it give news that is more timely than live TV or radio news (no)
Yes, see above. 1 minute vs maybe 10-30
> Does it give news that is more detailed than the morning paper/morning web
> site read (no)
Yes, the links.
> Does it give me more detail than KNX-1070 (no)
Yes, see above.
> Does it give a more "niched" news product? (no)
>
Past a certain point "niched" products are probably not as suited for
broadcast, as they are narrow.
> What does it give me? Pictures. Isn't there a better way to send me
> pictures?
TV is a very good way to send moving pictures. As both Bert and Kon
have pointed out in various ways, you can't really compete
Broadcasting low bit rate material since it is too easily accessed
using 2 way communication on demand. Video is about the only thing
that requires large enough bit rates to even worry about these days.
You could effectively get weather or even text headlines even with an
old 300 baud acoustic couple dial-up modem except for the dominating
connect time.
>
> Does it give me customized news? Not a chance.
That depends. When there is enough data in the cache then it is worth
while to customize access at your end. Your PSIP might help there.
- Tom
>
> John Willkie
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