I live in a rural area with a population of 1500 that gets no OTA reception. I am able to afford cable (for now, as you say the economy is precarious), but I grew up under economically impaired conditions, which I mention only to say that I am familiar with the kinds of challenges you describe.
Perhaps it is a generational thing; I do have a sense that anyone should be able to put a hanger on their TV set (or some other kind of over the air antenna) and watch for free commercial television. But I may just be too old to have internalized the idea that everybody is entitled to free cable television. The idea of accessing television programs after they have aired for free online is the kind of thing that would have struck be as fabulous when I was growing up. I still kind of feel like I should be paying somebody when I watch things on the Youtube. If ABC had suddenly found a way to charge everyone a fee for watching content as it was broadcast, I would see the validity of the point you are making. I probably would also see the validity if they only allowed paid subscribers to access archived material online. But the fact that the content is free both live and on day+7, and only has a fee on days +1 through +6, makes it hard for me to see this as one of the clearest examples of corporate greed and insensitivity, especially when there are so many clear examples of corporate greed and insensitivity. On Thu, Jan 2, 2014 at 11:40 PM, Kevin M. <[email protected]> wrote: > Hoping on the soapbox... > > On Thu, Jan 2, 2014 at 10:53 PM, PGage <[email protected]> wrote: > >> >> Are you saying you would have been fine with this if ABC had been >> charging for immediate access from the start? >> > > No. Fox has had this sort of online delay in effect for several years now, > to its detriment. I'm not fine with Fox continuing to do it, and I'm not > fine with ABC starting to copy their online methodology. > >> >>>> As I said, there are other legal options, specifically to me, not >>> watching anything offered on their network -- choosing other shows offered >>> by other content providers. This change affects lower and middle class >>> people who can't afford season passes on iTunes, but who are ironically a >>> highly sought demographic for most advertisers, since the upper class will >>> typically do as you suggest and pay extra for ad-free content. Forcing >>> those people (and those people includes me) to wait while others with >>> discretionary income don't have to wait is a good way to insult an >>> audience. And when you insult an audience, they are less likely to buy the >>> products you promote. And when advertisers don't get their money's worth, >>> they pull their money. And when networks don't get advertiser money, they >>> shut down. >>> >> >> I genuinely am not understanding your beef here. ABC's content is >> available immediately and for free to anyone with an OTA antenna. >> > > I recently spent six months in hell in a small town of 2,000 people where > OTA antennas would never reach. Mostly poor people in that sort of setting, > > >> It is also available for free to anyone who can access the internet if >> they are willing to wait a week. >> > > A delay for poor people who lack the funds to buy their way to premium > online viewing options > > >> This change will only affect people who a) do not have cable b) do not >> have OTA access c) do have internet and internet devices and d) can not >> afford or do not want to pay two bucks to watch a show immediately. >> > > I know you don't understand my beef. ABC's decision is part of a larger > problem, but as this is a media board and this is a media issue, I > addressed it specifically, but here's my beef in a broader picture: > > I don't know where you live or how much you earn, nor will I ask. I > haven't paid for cable in over seven years. For that matter, I haven't paid > for the 3G part of my iPad (a gift from former students) since 2011. I also > haven't bought a DVD in over two years. In recent years I've bought maybe a > dozen CDs, all used, and a handful of vinyl records at Amoeba (I believe > I've admitted that a UK friend shares files of British TV shows with me, > but that's really the extent of any unsanctioned viewing I partake in). I > will not waste money on a $2 viewing of a TV show, because, quite frankly I > don't have that money to waste. If it weren't for the generosity of > friends, I'd be homeless in California, or worse I'd be stuck back in that > town of 2,000 people, living in a borrowed "fifth wheel" in the middle of a > cold winter in the plains states. Apx. 1 in 10 American adults who are able > to work are still out of work or grossly underemployed (I'm counted among > the underemployed), and the Feds cut off aid to over a million of those > people 48 hours ago. Apx. 25% of kids graduating college can't get a job, > and many of the kids who do get a job won't be working in their chosen > field. So I take it profoundly personally when that segment of the > population -- a segment growing larger every day -- is deemed unimportant > by a company like ABC. > > As anyone who reads this message board knows, I'm highly critical > (probably overly so) of the media, and I've tried scaling back. I don't > twist the knife when people post about SNL anymore, and I rarely comment on > reality TV pablum. For the record, there is no show on ABC that I presently > watch, but if some struggling college grad living with his folks enjoys > "Dancing With The Stars" but has to work a late shift and misses the > results show, he ought not be penalized a week for that -- it is the very > definition of insult to injury. > > >> I suspect we have just defined a rather small segment of the market, and >> none of those people who being denied access to anything essential for the >> well-being or safety. >> > > I agree, but it is a segment of the populace who is in dire straits, and > every economist will tell you that entertainment thrives in dark economic > times. There's a reason for that. I'm not talking about the guy standing on > freeway offramps begging for change. I'm talking about the guy living in > constant fear and agony that he is just one paycheck away from becoming > that guy. People want to watch TV or a movie and laugh or think about > something other than their lives. You are correct, many won't even notice > or care about the change. But the ones who will notice and will care are > the ones constantly getting pissed on by life, and this is just one more > trickle. > > I've been down-and-out, and I'm only very recently elevated to > slightly-above-down-and-out, so please believe me when I tell you that for > those who are at their lowest, the faintest slap is like a sucker punch to > the kidneys. I hold a grudge about these things. This delay affects people > who have enough going on in their lives and just want a release. ABC > decided they aren't worth the minimal effort required to provide that > release in a timely manner. The people affected are still well and still > safe, but they are pissed off, and I doubt I'm the only one who holds a > grudge. > > ... walks away from soapbox. > -- > Kevin M. (RPCV) > > -- > -- > TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "TV or Not TV" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected] > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "TVorNotTV" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > -- -- TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TV or Not TV" group. 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