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Rogers, Shaw Latest to Think They Can Build a Netflix Killer

Add Canadian cable operators Rogers and Shaw to the latest in a long list of incumbent ISPs who believe they can offer a Netflix killer that will keep cord cutters in house. According to the companies' announcement, the service will be dubbed "shomi" and will emerge as a beta exclusively for Rogers and Shaw customers in November.

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Shomi will include 11,000 hours of past seasons of the most popular TV shows for $9 a month. The press release is quick to point out that 30% of the content made available on shomi will be Canadian. Shaw and Rogers insist the service is tailored specifically to what consumers want.

"We've taken the time to talk with Canadians to find out what they want and to create an unbelievable user experience," said Keith Pelley, President, Rogers Media. "They told us loud and clear – they want all the past seasons of the most popular, current TV shows and they want it to be easy."

Historically, incumbent TV/ISP streaming movie services don't tend to make much of an impression. The companies' involved have a tendency to be unwilling to offer real innovation and pricing for fear of cannibalizing existing pay TV subscribers.
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masterbinky
join:2011-01-06
Carlsbad, NM

masterbinky

Member

Multiple choice or open response?

Was "current shows at or slightly delayed* from original air time" an option?
How about no commercerials?

There's a difference between listening and hearing what people are saying. They may have heard all the things people wanted, and only listened to the ones they liked. Still doesn't make it honest that you're listening to the customers.

*Slightly delayed: a delay no larger than the total length of the content being delayed.
ie. 1 hr delay for a 1hr show.

NYDude25
join:2007-08-23
Massapequa, NY

NYDude25

Member

Re: Multiple choice or open response?

Why would they ask a question that makes no sense? Offer the show an hour after it airs? Their customers can already record and watch the show an hour after it airs.
HeadSpinning
MNSi Internet
join:2005-05-29
Windsor, ON

HeadSpinning

Member

Really?

How is this even a competitor to Netflix if you can't buy it without being a cable TV customer? Yawn...

NYDude25
join:2007-08-23
Massapequa, NY

NYDude25

Member

Re: Really?

Well, the shomi site actually reads like this:

Available initially on tablet, mobile, online, Xbox 360 and set top boxes, shomi will launch in beta first to Rogers and Shaw Internet or TV customers. shomi will be available starting the first week of November at a suggested retail price of $8.99 per month.

v6movement
@206.51.28.x

v6movement to HeadSpinning

Anon

to HeadSpinning
said by HeadSpinning:

How is this even a competitor to Netflix if you can't buy it without being a cable TV customer? Yawn...

They will also have to support a lot more devices for playback to truly compete with Netflix.. otherwise it really is a total yawn.
mike10
join:2004-03-02

mike10 to HeadSpinning

Member

to HeadSpinning
it is only supposed to be available to cable customers during its beta testing after that it will be open to everybody

Mashiki
Balking The Enemy's Plans
join:2002-02-04
Woodstock, ON

Mashiki

Member

We're gonna...

Yeah no, and should be interesting since Robers, Shaw and Bell(if they are/aren't still in it) could be committing a conflict of interest.
elefante72
join:2010-12-03
East Amherst, NY

elefante72

Member

Re: We're gonna...

I'm sure Rogers and Shaw have very little vested interest in the Canadian Content. Pass the envelope across the golden boardroom table.

What this really is VoD (look at STB) that may have been free in the past now you pay and they sprinkle in a few more shows.

I don't get it, if you are going to go against Netflix or Amazon (redbox now this) you will need to undercut on price and have device support because the catalog is so weak. Then they wonder why it fails...

Granted if you are into Canadian content then this may be useful--however if you are already a cable sub DVR can sort of take care of that.

Mashiki
Balking The Enemy's Plans
join:2002-02-04
Woodstock, ON

Mashiki

Member

Re: We're gonna...

Canadian content is mandated by law, so they actually have to have a vested interest in it.
mike10
join:2004-03-02

mike10

Member

Re: We're gonna...

CRTC does not control internet services like this

Mashiki
Balking The Enemy's Plans
join:2002-02-04
Woodstock, ON

Mashiki

Member

Re: We're gonna...

Correction, the CRTC does not control internet services. IPTV however is inside their mandate.

EUS
Kill cancer
Premium Member
join:2002-09-10
canada

EUS

Premium Member

Consumers want

a la carte tv, well priced internet without caps, and lower cell phone prices.
These companies deliver none of the above.
totalradio
join:2007-09-15
El Dorado, AR

totalradio

Member

Re: Consumers want

Well, at least Canada doesn't have a corner on that. American companies are just as bad.

Flyonthewall
@206.248.154.x

Flyonthewall

Anon

Re: Consumers want

Nope, can't hold a cancel to the US. Those stupid content laws really burn us, since they consider a well made commercial to be content, and so we get lots of them. The show is just carrier for advertising.

This isn't going to work, except that there are always a few suckers that will buy into it, and that may be enough to justify offering it. I think they already know that the people they lost, or will never get, aren't interested in drinking the kool-aid.
zod5000
join:2003-10-21
Victoria, BC

zod5000 to EUS

Member

to EUS
said by EUS:

a la carte tv, well priced internet without caps, and lower cell phone prices.
These companies deliver none of the above.

Not that they can. They don't own the majority of the content they are transmitting. Carriage deals usually require forced bundling so the media companies can attach their crappy channels to good ones (and thus earn more money).

Shaw owns only a handful of channels compared to Rogers/Bell, so they're in the weakest position (Except for maybe Telus).

The TV industry is too messed up in North America. They're going to price themselves right out of the market. Not much the cableco's can do because they don't own all the content their air.

Cableco's keep raising internet too. If they lose TV revenue they make up for it on Internet. They probably like internet better because they don't have to deal with carriage fees and terms from content owners in regards to retransmission of TV channels.

newview
Ex .. Ex .. Exactly
Premium Member
join:2001-10-01
Parsonsburg, MD

newview

Premium Member

Ads Ads and more Ads

If your so-called alternative to Netflix includes commercials you can keep it.

jmn1207
Premium Member
join:2000-07-19
Sterling, VA

jmn1207

Premium Member

Re: Ads Ads and more Ads

said by newview:

If your so-called alternative to Netflix includes commercials you can keep it.

Agreed. I don't have the answer on how quality content can be created and distributed without intrusive commercial breaks, but I can say that anything that I do watch is either recorded on my Tivo so I can skip through commercials, a premium channel show without commercials, or something on Netflix that does not have any commercials.

I can wait years for the content to become available commercial-free. I'd purchase full seasons of shows in HD if the prices were more reasonable to me. Netflix has set the benchmark.
XJakeX
join:2005-03-05
Coventry, RI

XJakeX

Member

Re: Ads Ads and more Ads

((Agreed. I don't have the answer on how quality content can be created and distributed without intrusive commercial breaks))

HBO, Showtime and Stars manage to do it. And now Netflix and Amazon are doing it as well, with their own original content, at a lower cost than the premium cable channels.

More than the ever increasing cost for hundreds of channels I never watch, I cut the cord in 2009 because of the 18-20 minutes ( and sometimes more) of commercial minutes per hour, along with totally unnecessary network logos on the screen all the time, ruining the entertainment value and immersion effect of the few good 1 hour dramas on TV, as well as movies.

Netflix Cust
@24.108.253.x

Netflix Cust to jmn1207

Anon

to jmn1207
I agree - I will not buy if there are commercials

TOPDAWG
Premium Member
join:2005-04-27
Calgary, AB

TOPDAWG

Premium Member

wait

wait a min here. Rogers wants to to go after cord cutters but you must be a member of Rogers and Shaw to get it or try the beta? I also got to say LOL on the %30 cdn content as guess what that is not want people want that is why they're cutting the cord you assholes and cost too.

v6movement
@206.51.28.x

v6movement

Anon

Re: wait

said by TOPDAWG:

wait a min here. Rogers wants to to go after cord cutters but you must be a member of Rogers and Shaw to get it or try the beta? I also got to say LOL on the %30 cdn content as guess what that is not want people want that is why they're cutting the cord you assholes and cost too.

You seem to be confused about the cord cutters part.
v6movement

v6movement

Anon

Re: wait

said by v6movement :

said by TOPDAWG:

wait a min here. Rogers wants to to go after cord cutters but you must be a member of Rogers and Shaw to get it or try the beta? I also got to say LOL on the %30 cdn content as guess what that is not want people want that is why they're cutting the cord you assholes and cost too.

You seem to be confused about the cord cutters part.

Oh sorry, my bad. Re-reading what was posted I see Karl screwed up.
psiu
join:2004-01-20
Farmington, MI

1 recommendation

psiu

Member

in movie trailer guy voice:

"coming this OCTOBERRRR, Netflix inexplicably slows to a crawl on your Rogers and Shaw high speed connections. Only one service can save you now...shomi...SHOMI YOUR CHECKBOOK"

/voice

Guspaz
Guspaz
MVM
join:2001-11-05
Montreal, QC

Guspaz

MVM

Contradiction

"30% of the content made available on shomi will be Canadian."
"Shaw and Rogers insist the service is tailored specifically to what consumers want."

These two statements are contradictory... and limiting the service to their own customers severely limits their potential market, because people aren't going to switch to Rogers just because they have an imitation Netflix.
MaynardKrebs
We did it. We heaved Steve. Yipee.
Premium Member
join:2009-06-17

MaynardKrebs

Premium Member

Re: Contradiction

Rogers & Shaw execs musta just had a hell of a quaalude party together.

v6movement
@206.51.28.x

v6movement to Guspaz

Anon

to Guspaz
said by Guspaz:

"30% of the content made available on shomi will be Canadian."
"Shaw and Rogers insist the service is tailored specifically to what consumers want."

These two statements are contradictory... and limiting the service to their own customers severely limits their potential market, because people aren't going to switch to Rogers just because they have an imitation Netflix.

Saying that no one wants Canadian content is nonsense. Get real Guspaz.

The E
Please allow me to retort
Premium Member
join:2002-05-26
Burnaby, BC

The E

Premium Member

Hold on.... Let's look at this

30% Canadian content is mandatory under CRTC stipulations. So it must be done. (There are a few popular Canadian series out there).

But that leaves 70% US & International content. Now what's Netflix Canada's achilies heel? Lack of good US content / content in general on this side of the border.

So, hmm.... What do Rogers and Shaw already have .... Hmmmm... Oh, effing content rights! So maybe, just maybe, this service will have all that shit that we miss out on because Netflix can't or won't broker the rights to these shows.

But hey, guess we'll see....
quisp65
join:2003-05-03
San Diego, CA

quisp65

Member

Popcorn Time and torrent streaming equivalents are the Netflix killer

Seriously! I'm thinking of selling my stock in Netflix soon because of this. More movies, shows and more up to date & it's free. It brings pirating television to the masses.

Thane_Bitter
Inquire within
Premium Member
join:2005-01-20

Thane_Bitter

Premium Member

Yada yada Yada... oh look we invented

"We've taken the time to talk with Canadians to find out what they want and to create an unbelievable user experience,"

Followed by:

"Then we ignored all of it and made of clone of Netflix but without original programming or watchable content"