April 4, 2009 1:39 AM
Given last week's posts, one of the big attractions of the Cable Show was to hear how the big programmers viewed the upstart Internet content distributors. Therefore, I was especially intrigued by a panel presentation by big cable programmers cleverly titled, "Jumping Through (Hulu) Hoops: Programming for a New Video Paradigm". Every panelist seemed, in one sense or another, to regard the Internet as something to be either shunned, ignored, or to be indulged, but in limited amounts, and with great care. The primary concern with putting programming on line seemed to be jeopardizing the "dual" revenue stream that the large programmers get from subscriptions and advertising revenue. No one wanted to be "broadcasters" (not even the broadcasters--Fox and NBC)--in the sense of being reliant on advertising revenue alone.
The spectrum of opinions regarding the value of placing programming on the Internet seemed to go from the "more progressive" that saw some perceived value in either using the Internet to "monetize" (this was a word that was used a lot) non-first-run (i.e., repeat) programming, or in using the Internet to promote interest in new channels, or new shows on existing channels.
Continue reading Dr. Strange-Cable Programmer-Love: or How I Learned to Stop Worrying, and Love the Big Programmers, Big Distributors, and Big Subscription TV Prices . . . While I Wait on Internet TV
April 4, 2009 1:16 AM
OK, as I mentioned earlier in the week, Kyle McSlarrow, CEO of the NCTA, graciously invited me to the Cable Show in DC this week, and I gratefully accepted. Wednesday, April 1st, was the first day of the show. So, I tried to be kind of an "on the beat" blogger this week, in the sense that I wrote some posts and wanted to get them up timely, but I'm not as good at editing and posting to be able to get things up quickly right now.
Without any context (no previous cable shows), I'd have to say the whole thing was really well done--the show floor was visually awesome, presented the industry in the best possible light--including a "broadband nation" section of the floor that highlighted the more innovative, futuristic, technologies that the industry is developing, and the programs were topically focused. While I've been to other network-provider shows over the past 10 years, what makes the Cable Show so cool is that the most visible "upstream" part of the Cable Show is that content providers (programmers) are exhibitors. This fact left me with the ability to obtain actual news. That said, with any industry show, you have to keep in mind that shows are just that--showcases for the industry they represent; objective discourses are not the point, and the lack thereof should not be grounds for criticism.
OK, here's the news: I got to meet Redskins' quarterback Jason Campbell at the Comcast booth (he was signing autographs). I'm a huge Redskins fan--in fact I'm a huge everything DC fan--love the fact that Agent Zero is back and the Wizards beat the Cavs last night. Anyway, I've long been curious about the Jason Campbell Youtube video , so, while he was signing the autographed picture for my son, I asked if the video was real, and how many takes it took. The answer: yes, the video is real, and it took him about 20-30 takes to get it. After I got my picture taken with Jason, he asked how may takes it's taken me to do the same stunt. Answer: I'm about at a hundred and still trying to get two footballs to stay in the air at the same time;-)
