Dish Network Beefing with AMC over Digital Distribution

[GoldenGlove]

http://www.theverge.com/2012/5/7/3005904/dish-co-founder-digital-distribution-amc-dispute

We reported last week the Dish Network is threatening to drop AMC and its related networks from Dish's line-up of programming due to a negotiating dust-up. Dish co-founder and chairman Charles Ergen elaborated on the situation today during the company's financial earnings call, pointing his finger at digital distribution for making original AMC content like "Mad Men" and "Breaking Bad" less valuable. Pointing out that many of its shows are available via online services like Netflix and iTunes, Ergen explained that the easy accessibility has made the programming "devalued" in Dish's eyes: essentially, that there's little reason for Dish to pay a premium for shows when its customers can easily find them elsewhere. Adding insult to injury, Ergen also noted that Dish caters heavily to rural markets — areas where AMC programming isn't very popular aside from a few standout programs. Dish has complained that AMC is asking too high a price to renew its contract with the company, with Ergen adding today that "our customers are not really saying, 'We want to pay more money.' They're saying, 'We want more flexibility in our programming and we don't want to pay more.'"

It's important to remember that statements such as Ergen's are very likely part of the public brinksmanship involved in these type of negotiations — ones that often leave customers as the collateral damage. Still, it's an interesting argument that will no doubt bring additional pressure against networks that are embracing alternative means of distribution. Whether it will be enough to corral content distributors back into the pay-television pen for a little while longer, however, remains to be seen.

DD Unit causing havoc right now, and I can't say that I'm against it...


I wish more channels would start offering their content through other alternatives to force a change in the way TV subs are handled.

It would be dope if these TV companies started dropping channels because of this shyt and then the channels just made deals with the streaming sites... new shows of Breaking Bad, Walking Dead, Mad Men on Netflix the same time they hit TV

I would be down

 

[GoldenGlove]

Bump

 

[Tommy Fits]

Great news for now but how long until Cable Companies start raising prices on our internet to make up for the loss of cable TV revenue ?

 

[Rekkapryde]

Great news for now but how long until Cable Companies start raising prices on our internet to make up for the loss of cable TV revenue ?

that's exactly what they will do

 

[GoldenGlove]

Great news for now but how long until Cable Companies start raising prices on our internet to make up for the loss of cable TV revenue ?

Eat off of cell phone providers' networks?

You would have to be grandfathered in though.

 

[Kemyran]

that's exactly what they will do

That and bandwidth caps. Other than just saying fukk you to all of the providers and going w/o this kind of entertainment en masse (which isn't going to happen. EVER.) there's really nothing you can do.

The corporations have all the power and are calling all the shots. Just wish there was a bit more competition as far as internet providers and less conflicts of interest (like Comcast owning NBC Universal).

If they really had to compete for consumer dollars, we wouldn't be in this mess. As it stands, you really don't have a choice but to buy in or log off altogether.

 

[GoldenGlove]

That and bandwidth caps. Other than just saying fukk you to all of the providers and going w/o this kind of entertainment en masse (which isn't going to happen. EVER.) there's really nothing you can do.

The corporations have all the power and are calling all the shots. Just wish there was a bit more competition as far as internet providers and less conflicts of interest (like Comcast owning NBC Universal).

If they really had to compete for consumer dollars, we wouldn't be in this mess. As it stands, you really don't have a choice but to buy in or log off altogether.

How many internet providers aren't directly linked to TV/cable affiliates?

 

[Kemyran]

How many internet providers aren't directly linked to TV/cable affiliates?

That's the problem. There aren't many. Across the pond, there's much more competition in this regard.