“The FCC is considering a change in the definition of a ‘multichannel video programming distributor’ that could make it a whole lot easier for Apple to compete against pay TV providers,” Sean Portnoy reports for ZDNet.
“While MVPDs to date have been limited to companies like Comcast, DirecTV and Verizon, the commission is mulling whether online companies like Hulu or Netflix could fall under that definition,” Portnoy reports. “The importance of being an MVPD is that such firms have the right to be able to distribute certain programming that they would otherwise have to negotiate separate contracts for.”
Portnoy reports, “The ultimate ruling could play a huge factor in what Apple could deliver in addition to a new television set, which is already rumored to be in pilot production. Rather than going to each channel and attempting to negotiate — or, according to some, bully — it into a deal for programming, Apple could just offer a slew of channels like any cable provider.”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Brawndo Drinker” for the heads up.]
Yeah! In your face, mofos.
Ahem, excuse me, I got a little bit excited.
That just perpetuates the old ways. I don’t want to have to pay for a bunch of channels I will never watch in order to get the few that I do watch.
Bingo. That is the paradigm shift I am patiently waiting for.
“The time has come the walrus said
To talk of many things:
Of shoes–and ships–and sealing-wax–
Of cabbages–and kings–
And why the sea is boiling hot–
And whether pigs have wings.”
“But wait a bit,” the Oysters cried,
“Before we have our chat;
For some of us are out of breath,
And all of us are fat!”
“No hurry!” said the Carpenter.
They thanked him much for that.
😀
We dun need yer stinking slew of channels..
The App is the Channel!
I want more channels, no bundles. Why pay $60 plus dollars a month for 30 plus channels of which 6 are watched regularly? I would pay $40 for six versus $60 for six plus 30 odd bullish#t channels. It’s no bargain to pay less per channel if the vast majority of pteamming is crap and filler.
Isn’t that a US-centric view? What about the several other countries where Apple operates? Apple needs a global solution.
I managed to cut the cable several years ago and haven’t looked back.
Once cable does one of two things, I may be back:
First…. unbundling. Let me chose the channels I want and are willing to pay for, and not pay for channels that I don’t want.
Second. Pay for View. I want access to all the channels, all the time, but will only pay for the actual time I’m actually watching TV… you know… kind of like with water and electricity… (and very soon internet service as well…..)
Until then, spare me any offer that doesn’t use either of those business models.
To be honest there are probably a dozen or two channels of TV worth watching at any time and the fact that an incestuous cartel of companies has gamed the system to get you to subsidize their shitty output just pisses me off.
I would like:
BBC World- not the shitty BBC America
CNN International- the real one- not the shitty US one.
France 24
Deutsche Welle
NHK World
PBS- bypassing local member stations
PBS World- again bypassing local stations
HBO- 1 channel, not all 300 sub-channels.
Showtime- 1 channel, not all 300 sub-channels.
ESPN
ESPN2
MSNBC
AMC
TCM
CNBC World
Link TV
Free Speech TV
Al Jazeera English
RTV
Eurochannel
Euronews
Sky News
Bloomberg Television
Bloomberg International
C-Span
Comedy Central
Palladia
DOC: The Documentary Channel
IFC
MHz WorldView
And While we are using our imagination.
Channel 4 (UK)
ABC (Australia)
CBC (Canada)
The rest is largely bullshit or recycled bullshit.
Sadly, I remember when there was History on the History Channel, Arts on A&E, Travel on the Travel Channel, Music on MTV, Weather on the Weather Channel, Science on the Discovery Channel and no effing commercials on AMC.
Know me by the channels I watch. You sir are as liberal as it gets – or is it gits.
You say that as if it’s a bad thing…
It’s a horrific thing. Liberals are the antichrist.
Christ was a liberal. Go try to understand the New Testament and forget the history book they call the Old Testament, except if you’re trying to figure out how much to charge for selling your daughter into slavery.
He’s as brainwashed as it gets. You can see who helped do it to his puny-lemming-brain.
Is there some reason that almost EVERY thread on this site has to be hijacked by someone, left or right, for political purposes? I don’t care if someone prefers Fox News or MSNBC, or any other channels – they’re welcome to their ridiculous preferences, just as I hope that I am welcome to MY ridiculous preferences.
And the more freedom in choosing the programming I want to see on TV, the better.