axus
join:2001-06-18
Washington, DC Reviews:
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Re: Idiots! Access providers aren't helping themselves any by lobbying against a la carte regulations.
Entertainment companies are only as good as their product, and they're obviously producing something people want a lot. Something like ESPN is a natural monopoly, like Microsoft I guess, and they're doing what they can to keep it. But if they start sucking (a la Vista) they will lose their position quickly. Exclusive deals don't last forever.
If the content is worth it, people will pay for it. If not, they won't. The whole bundling thing is used to make people pay for things they don't want, to get something else they do want. But it makes the ESPNs too powerful, because they're essential to the bundle. By going a la carte, they are only worth what people will pay, and no more. The course of channels that people choose can be as cheap or expensive as they want, avoiding the "necessary" price increases if they want by cancelling the ones that cost too much. |
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| said by axus:Access providers aren't helping themselves any by lobbying against a la carte regulations. The problem is that the proposed a la carte regulations would only be applied against cable companies by Martin and the FCC. If a la carte is expected to work they need to be applied to Hollywood(would need a law passed by Congress) that prevents them from issuing bundled content. And that will NEVER happen. So I don't blame the cable companies from resisting - they would still have to buy bundled packages from the content providers, but if Martin has his way, then have to sell the bundles broken up and a la carte. A sure recipe for financial disaster.
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axus
join:2001-06-18
Washington, DC | I've never heard them make that argument. They shouldn't have to buy bundled content though, if that's true. Congress loves bundled content though, just look at all their appropriation bills. |
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