Broadcasters Want Bailout

D. Hugh Redelmeier hugh-pmF8o41NoarQT0dZR+AlfA at public.gmane.org
Sat May 23 15:21:41 UTC 2009


| From: James Knott <james.knott-bJEeYj9oJeDQT0dZR+AlfA at public.gmane.org>
| 
| A bit off topic, but something of interest to most.
| http://www.shaw.ca/en-ca/AboutShaw/BroadcastersWantBailout.htm

This campaign by the networks infuriates me.  For the last week, every
23:30 local news on CFTO ends with an item inviting us to an open
house so they can pitch us.  They say that "for over 50 years we've
been giving to the community and now it is time for you to come to our
support.  The cable companies take our signal without paying for it."
I love the word "take" -- I hope they left some signal for others.

The whole network concept is based on a monopoly: there is a shortage
of over-the-air channels so they get organized as networks.

Cable channel slots are in much larger supply (but the cable companies
themselves are a monopoly, of course).

The networks could get fee-for-carriage for their signals if they
dropped the over-the-air channel -- that's what the current
regulations allow for.  They just want it both ways.

The cable companies hands are not clean in my mind.  If they complain
about being charged for what is free in local over-the-air, they
should not be encrypting those same signals.  In the US, local
over-the-air signals must be carried in the clear.
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