NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad
[ NNSquad ] Atlantic article claims "Cable TV is Doomed"
Atlantic article claims "Cable TV is Doomed"
http://bit.ly/au5nkb (Atlantic)
The author inexplicably says of the FCC's National Broadband Plan:
"But the measure, if it passes, will accelerate the demise of cable
television as the standard method of consuming television."
Hmm. There's no measure there to pass as far as I know, just a
series of recommendations, each of which will be in various
combinations ignored, altered, sliced, diced, modified, mutated,
skewed, skewered, and/or mutilated by Congress and the Courts.
Anyway. As I've noted before, the concept of purely "a la carte"
programming (regardless of the delivery mechanism) carries with
it the risk of a "race to the bottom" of lowest common denominator
programming that will appeal to the most people. It's hard to
see how specialty channels (yes, including some of my favorites)
could survive outside the subsidy model.
The result could be a viewing universe consisting almost entirely of
crime dramas, sports, and cheap unscripted ("reality") shows from
professional producers, since these might be the main categories of
programming that could attract sufficient stand-alone revenue to survive.
No doubt some people might prefer such a universe, but I must admit
that I would not.
--Lauren--
NNSquad Moderator