[opendtv] Two articles about sticking it to the TV consumer
- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2009 16:35:44 -0500
The key quotes:
"Apparently Cablevision hasn't noticed the growing number of cable subscribers
watching basic programming on ClearQAM TV sets."
More likely, they know, don't care, and their customers are threatening loudly
enough. And:
"You've heard the story before: No one watches TV over-the-air anymore, so why
not use the spectrum for something more interesting-perhaps wireless Internet.
While this story ignores the significant percentage of people that do watch
over-the-air, the question remains: Could the spectrum be better used for
something else?"
Hmmm. Is the vast majority of the US population visiting the national parks?
Like I suggested previously, "what if" we do the numbers to see what revenues
we could extract out of condos in the Grand Canyon. How can we let such an
opportunity pass us by?
Bert
--------------------------------
http://www.tvtechnology.com/article/88084
NYC Cablevision Customers Could Lose Unencrypted Programming
by Doug Lung, 10.01.2009.
Subscribers to Cablevision, New York City's cable provider, could lose access
to basic cable programming if the company gets FCC approval to discontinue
carrying unencrypted channels.
After writing about ClearQAM problems, I received a lot of email from both
cable companies and subscribers describing the difficulties they are having
with ClearQAM reception. Cablevision wants to take a different approach-drop
all analog channels and eliminate unencrypted digital channels. Subscribers in
Cablevision's New York City franchise areas won't be able to receive any
channels unless they have a TV set equipped with a CableCard or Cablevision
set-top box, According to Cablevision Systems Corporation's Petition for Waiver
[PDF], it is requesting the waiver so that it can turn off basic cable
subscribers' service without the need to dispatch a truck to physically
disconnect the cable.
Cablevision wants to drop unencrypted channels "effective upon its upcoming
conversion to all-digital programming." It claims a grant of a waiver to the
rule requiring unencrypted basic programming will "have virtually no negative
impact on customers who, as subscribers to a cable service that has already
migrated to 'all-digital', will already have set top boxes or CableCards."
Apparently Cablevision hasn't noticed the growing number of cable subscribers
watching basic programming on ClearQAM TV sets. Cablevision even goes so far as
to deny the possibility of digital cable reception without a set top box.
"Today's cable subscribers typically do not have an expectation-or the
capability-of receiving digital cable services without a set-top box."
(Emphasis added), Cablevision said in its petition.
Should the FCC grant Cablevision's petition, it would likely set a precedent
for other cable companies that might want to collect a set-top box or CableCard
rental fee for every TV set in the house. As I recently reported, some cable
companies are working hard to make basic programming available in ClearQAM,
with the correct channel numbers and PSIP. While there is some merit to
Cablevision's argument that eliminating unencrypted channel will make it easier
to turn on and turn off subscribers, saving fuel and reducing green house gas
emissions, I suspect the real reason is that forcing set-top boxes or
CableCards on every TV set will make it easier for them to sell premium
packages and on-demand video.
The Petition (Proceeding 09-168) appeared on the FCC Electronic Comment Filing
System Sept. 24. As of midnight Wednesday, Sept. 30, two comments had been
filed, both opposing the waiver. While I'm tempted to welcome Cablevision's
plan because it will lead to more viewers switching to over the air reception
on second sets, I can't help feeling this is unfair to lower income households
that can't afford to rent extra set-top boxes and to people that want to watch
or record basic programming on their Slingbox, PC or laptop.
You can file your comments on Cablevision's petition by going to the FCC
Electronic Comment File Submission web site and entering 09-168 in Box 1
"Proceeding". Fill in the rest of the boxes, then upload your comments using
"Send Comment Files to FCC (Attachments)" section at the bottom of the page.
Comments are accepted as PDF (preferred - use PDF Creator to print to a PDF
from any program), or as Microsoft Word or Excel files; WordPerfect files,
Lotus 123 files, or plain (ASCII) text files.
Comments from Cablevision subscribers in New York City will probably carry the
most weight, but comments from others outside the area could affect how the FCC
treats similar requests from other cable companies. If you support unencrypted
basic digital programming and your local cable service is providing it, might
be worth mentioning and commending them for supporting ClearQAM reception.
--------------------------------------
http://www.tvtechnology.com/article/88088
Analyst: Broadcast Bankruptcies Could Be Answer to Broadband Spectrum Shortage
by Doug Lung, 10.01.2009.
You've heard the story before: No one watches TV over-the-air anymore, so why
not use the spectrum for something more interesting-perhaps wireless Internet.
While this story ignores the significant percentage of people that do watch
over-the-air, the question remains: Could the spectrum be better used for
something else?
Tom Wheeler, Managing Director, Core Capital Partners, in the article < a
href="http://telecom-expense-management-solutions.tmcnet.com/topics/telecom-expense-management/articles/65272-broadcast-bankruptcies-solution-the-spectrum-crunch.htm";
target="_blank">Broadcast Bankruptcies: The Solution to the Spectrum Crunch
notes that Wall Street values Sinclair Broadcasting's 30 stations at less than
$300 million and the 100 stations in bankruptcy have no market cap. As a result
of the bankruptcies, banks and hedge funds will find themselves owning TV
stations. Wheeler suggests these "accidental broadcasters" will look at the
$100 billion the wireless industry paid in the last FCC auction and ask "What
if..."
Some of the "What if..." scenarios Wheeler offers are combining multiple
broadcasters onto one channel (no HDTV) to keep some service to those people
still watching over-the-air and sell the rest of the spectrum to a wireless
carrier. A simpler approach is leasing bandwidth on the station's digital
signal to other services using the ATSC M/H standard. One example would be a
"mobile Hulu".
The "accidental broadcasters" could combine assets to create a nationwide
spectrum footprint.
Read Tom Wheeler's article to see how he answers his question: "With television
revenues in a freefall and the new digital capacity yet to produce meaningful
income, just how long will the hedge funds and international bankers be willing
to sit idle and watch as their new asset ponders its future?"
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