Monday, March 27, 2006
Bye Bye Howard
Jacobs Media has reported that 70% of Howard Stern’s Rock listeners have decided not to “sign up” with Sirius Satellite. Approximately 20% of Stern’s audience has subscribed – another 10% plan on subscribing. Is this good news for terrestrial broadcasters fearing an audience exodus from FM rockers like WXRK in New York or KXTE in Las Vegas? Is Howard’s brand of radio wearing thin... or is it only a matter of time before a majority of Stern’s former audience “gives in” to the $12.95 price tag?
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
The Future of News
A Poynteronline article by Bob Andelman quotes Andrew Heywood, former CBS News president, on the future of news:
"Bloggers will say, 'News is no longer a lecture like this; it's a conversation.' Others will say, 'Mainstream news is the conversation starter,' " said Heyward. "I think there will be a new Darwinism. In an era of authenticity, quality will win out. You're going to see much more emphasis on the highest quality products winning."
So says Andrew. What say you?
"Bloggers will say, 'News is no longer a lecture like this; it's a conversation.' Others will say, 'Mainstream news is the conversation starter,' " said Heyward. "I think there will be a new Darwinism. In an era of authenticity, quality will win out. You're going to see much more emphasis on the highest quality products winning."
So says Andrew. What say you?
Friday, March 10, 2006
How do you want your cable television?
We're already buying our music one song at a time, why not pay for our cable television one program at at time? Yes, let the rumble begin between the cable industry, the FCC, and our elected officials, over bundling of cable channels versus ala carte individual program selection.
The way it is now, a cable subscriber purchases a cable package and gets 50-70, or more, great channels...of which we only watch 16, according to the FCC, yet pay a pretty hefty monthly fee. Sounds a lot like purchasing that CD for full price, but only really liking two songs, doesn't it?
Wouldn't it be great to actually pick your top 30 cable channels for that monthly fee? No more food network if you don't want it, hey, throw in world federation wrestling, if you're into that. Pay for what you watch; no more, no less.
Well, as of this week, FCC chairman, Kevin Martin has changed his mind and is now in agreement that the cable industry should examine ala carte programming choice rather than bundling. Martin says it would help parents purchase better programming for their kids (no more Playboy channel as part of your bundle) and actually lower our cable bill each month.
A USA TODAY/CNN poll of U.S. viewers shows that 54% would prefer buying their cable channels individually, and 43% said they'd rather have the flat fee and get a bundled assortment of channels. Martin sights the fact that expanded basic cable has increased in cost 40% in the past five years, when overall prices for goods and services has only increased 12%. Sounds like the cable industry has had it good for a long time, doesn't it?
Needless to say, the cable industry is aggressively challenging this notion with some intense media relations and government lobbying.
The cable industry says that ala carte would imperil the small stations that don't program the most popular cable shows, and that ala carte would actually drive up the monthly price, not lower it.
Right now, a portion of cable's profit is based on the number of subscriptions purchased for the bundles options. If shows are individually purchased, cable experts say some of those cable programs that are great, but have really small audiences, won't be able to survive. No doubt, that is the beauty of cable television, each program doesn't live and die by its viewership because it's protected in a bundled format.
So before you call your congressional representative to support ala carte cable programming, remember that if others don't purchase the "sewing channel" that you're addicted to, it just might not be on anymore. Or, on the other hand, if hardly anybody is watching the sewing channel, why should it be produced on television?
Maybe it's worth it? Is it to you?
The way it is now, a cable subscriber purchases a cable package and gets 50-70, or more, great channels...of which we only watch 16, according to the FCC, yet pay a pretty hefty monthly fee. Sounds a lot like purchasing that CD for full price, but only really liking two songs, doesn't it?
Wouldn't it be great to actually pick your top 30 cable channels for that monthly fee? No more food network if you don't want it, hey, throw in world federation wrestling, if you're into that. Pay for what you watch; no more, no less.
Well, as of this week, FCC chairman, Kevin Martin has changed his mind and is now in agreement that the cable industry should examine ala carte programming choice rather than bundling. Martin says it would help parents purchase better programming for their kids (no more Playboy channel as part of your bundle) and actually lower our cable bill each month.
A USA TODAY/CNN poll of U.S. viewers shows that 54% would prefer buying their cable channels individually, and 43% said they'd rather have the flat fee and get a bundled assortment of channels. Martin sights the fact that expanded basic cable has increased in cost 40% in the past five years, when overall prices for goods and services has only increased 12%. Sounds like the cable industry has had it good for a long time, doesn't it?
Needless to say, the cable industry is aggressively challenging this notion with some intense media relations and government lobbying.
The cable industry says that ala carte would imperil the small stations that don't program the most popular cable shows, and that ala carte would actually drive up the monthly price, not lower it.
Right now, a portion of cable's profit is based on the number of subscriptions purchased for the bundles options. If shows are individually purchased, cable experts say some of those cable programs that are great, but have really small audiences, won't be able to survive. No doubt, that is the beauty of cable television, each program doesn't live and die by its viewership because it's protected in a bundled format.
So before you call your congressional representative to support ala carte cable programming, remember that if others don't purchase the "sewing channel" that you're addicted to, it just might not be on anymore. Or, on the other hand, if hardly anybody is watching the sewing channel, why should it be produced on television?
Maybe it's worth it? Is it to you?
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