FCC Tunes In on Sirius-XM Merger

An interesting issue for the FCC to ponder, allowing two competitors to merge, and with it a potential monoply created. Whether there are two or just one satellite radio choice, the pros for allowing outway the cons. A merger would mean that one satellite company would provide access to each company's respective exclusives: NFL, MLB, Howard Stern, Martha, etc. And the consumer still has the ability to choose other car entertainment options including free radio, cds, ipod, etc. The cons, no competitor could mean price gouging. Monopoly or oligopoly, price is ulttimately controlled by demand and there is still choice.

But as technology keeps marching forward, so does choice and the advent of Direct TV to the car and other future possibilities should be considered. I say let the merger go forward and let the free market prevail. That's my 2 ¢.

VOD Networks

A couple of my favorite niche networks - on demand - bite size programming to satisfy your daily viewing hunger...and each day, a new video to enjoy.

Wallstrip - with an interview with Comcast's Amy Banse.




From NextNewNetworks - Channel Frederator

Live Earth is Here

Lucky day - - 07/07/07 - - and while I normally talk about the changing entertainment landscape, let us take a break to remember that we live with limited resources for us and our future generations to use. It is time to act and while Going Green sometimes sounds like a buzzword, its implications are important.

So as we use all our wonderful entertainment and communication devices, iPhone, Blackberry, cable, etc, remember to help conserve. Disconnect chargers when complete, turn off lights when not in use, turn down the A/C just one degree, recycle, etc. The more we all do now, the more we all make our planet a better place to live.

iPhone scores a big Win

No surprises, the Apple iPhone exceeded all expectations. And for those willing to wait a day, the lines receded and there were plenty of phones still available to purchase. Still, it was interesting to note how many people were willing to purchase an iPhone and contend with the AT&T service; so the next data to look for is how many of those buyers switched carriers to get AT&T, how many came from AT&T already, and how many didn't want to deal with the number portability issue and may be carrying two phones at the moment from two different services.

One recent article suggested that hackers are hard at work seeking ways to bypass AT&T and stll use the phone features; others contend that this is all a huge plot by Steve Jobs to own the wireless market. They point to his dominance with the iPod as proof. I had a chance to play with the phone and it is a beauty to behold. But like the iPod, first generation will begat second generation will begat third, and it should all occur relatively quickly. Get the bugs out with AT&T, blame them when the phone doesn't work properly, then fix the problems and offer the iPhone to the better service carriers. As Apple keeps improving upon its design, dominance is assured.

NBBC to Shut Doors

First of all, I like NBC and appreciate its proactiveness in trying to understand this digital space. Second, I'm sorry to hear that this venture is ending but it seemed the writing was on the wall the moment the joint venture with Fox was announced. And third, I don't expect the joint venture to fly either and ultimately, NBC will go back to completely owning its digital distribution model. Why? Because you shouldn't confuse technology with distribution and at the end of the day, you want to own your content as long as you can through the pipeline. Given the deep pockets of many content owners, why share the milk if you own the cow. The NBC brand is too powerful to dilute it with other competing content partnerships; the quality of its content and synergistic abilities means that it can reach the consumer directly and guide them to any site or technology they wish. And while I use NBC in this example, the same applies to CBS, ABC, and FOX. And do consumers watch the channel? NO, they watch the show and it is the actual interest in the show that is the cow to milk.

Live TV on cell phones better than you'd expect

So quick recap...the iPhone has been released - long lines, sold out, and only major complaint is that it requires the AT&T service to use. The FCC mandate has passed and waivers were granted.

Saw this article today and couldn't agree more. So what that the iPhone gets You Tube or that you can watch a movie on it. When its on-demand, I'll demand to watch it on a better screen, at home on the TV or PC. But when I am on the go, the video that most matters is what is on live and in the moment. Any sports game, I want to watch it live and if I'm remote, there's no better device to use than the phone. Just imagine even sitting at the game and turning to your phone to catch the replay and hear the analysts describe the action. News junkie and you can't live without Today or Good Morning America, let's watch it on the phone. Breaking news that may even buzz your phone to let you know to turn to it. Need your CNBC or Bloomberg fix, turn on the phone.

And this is why cable should offer a wireless component - so they can bundle digital TV coverage into the phone - HBO, SHO, local sports nets, CNBC, and of course the local broadcast channels - and give me a complete communication package, cable, voice, hi-speed, and cellular. But the cable MSO's better hurry, Verizon has the product and all they need to do is become better marketeers of their bundle - FIOS and Verizon V Cast mobile.

Live TV on the phone is what the iPhone needs and without it, the hype is short-lived. Add wireless to the cable bundle and that is a winning combination and that's my 2 ¢.

CableCARD 2.0

We speak of web 2.0 and TV 2.0, so let's talk about the CableCARD 2.0. This Sunday, after a number of delays, the FCC law first discussed in 1998, sand designed to separate control of the content from the cable box, is scheduled to go into effect. Between now and July 1, cable companies will be trying for another extension. It will enable us to win back our TV sets and not rely on the set-top box as the only means to access scrambled digital programming.

I currently have a TIVO device connected directly to cable, but with access to only unscrambled channels from basic cable. I also have a DVR on another TV set. I see how each functions. Its like the difference between a Porsche and a VW. That's how much I prefer TIVO.

Still, the current CableCARD, barely being utilized today, is a one-way device, allowing access to all digital channels, but not to cable's VOD and PPV options, as well as the interactive guide, and other technology. So the next version, CableCARD 2.0 should be that interactive iteration. But is it too late to the game; perhaps, because of the OCAP standard being embraced by companies like Intel, we can move away from a physical card and let the software in the chips intelligently determine access and openness to this array of programming and technological innovation.

I say figure it out. The integration of Web 2.0 and TV 2.0 is the future; today's set-top box is not. Access, convergence, and interaction are what we want with the devices of our choosing; July 1 has arrived, let's get started.

TBS to go HI Def in September

I am old enough to remember when TV shows went from Black & White to Color. Shows like Gilligan's Island started in one format and finsihed in another. So now we face another technological innovation, Hi Def. As more homes bring in Hi Def screens, more demand emerges for the content in Hi Def as well. I have one Hi Def TV, and it is not connected to a cable box. Its that obtrusive set-top box, it limits the TVs ability and it takes extra space on the counter. I don't want it. Put the technology inside the TV, authorize with a cablecard, and more people will use their Hi Def TVs to watch Hi Def content.

How fast will it take till all content to be offered in HD? Today, we need a special channel though to watch this content, and even that content is not 24/7 HD. Just take a look at ESPN HD, TNT HD, etc. Some of the programs and of course the ads are still in the "old" format. And most peple may have bought their new HD TV because of the thin screen and ergonomic look, and don't realize they are not getting true HD. Heck they probably don't realize that it has to be tuned to the HD version of the channel showing an HD show. This conversion may take longer than anyone expected.

Intel embracing OCAP

Now that Intel is embracing OCAP, I expect big improvements in the way the TV and the PC finally work together. Mark this day as when TV 2.0 and Web 2.0 merge as one. By supporting OCAP standards, communication among multiple devices should be simplified, enabling the set-top box and pc to come together and run applications across multiple devices. I foresee much easier remote scheduling of your dvr, better downloading and sharing programs network across multiple TVs inside the house, and the ease of more two-way functionality. It will be fun to watch where these new OCAP chips appear first.