Re: cbs/viacom

[Garrett Wollman <wollman>]

<<On Wed, 8 Sep 1999 09:59:43 EDT, Chuckigo@aol.com said:


>    with newer technologies available on the homefronts (hdtv for the
> home / digital satellite receivers for the car/walkman/etc)...  and
> cable/satellite services still charging $$$ for what is available
> over the air for free, isn't there a chance that non-subscription
> services (read that: over the air for free) will make a strong
> comeback?

This makes a substantial amount of sense, but you have to consider two
factors:

1) The cable companies (both of them) are a big, powerful lobbying
force -- not to mention their economic power.  They will most
certainly resist such a trend as strongly as they can.

2) Even if things pan out this way, once the networks succeed in
inverting their financial relationship with their affiliates,
broadcast transmission won't be a particularly profitable business to
be in.  So, my original thesis, that it won't make financial sense to
keep transmission and production in the same corporate house, stands.

- -GAWollman

- --
Garrett A. Wollman   | O Siem / We are all family / O Siem / We're all the same
wollman@lcs.mit.edu  | O Siem / The fires of freedom 
Opinions not those of| Dance in the burning flame
MIT, LCS, CRS, or NSA|                     - Susan Aglukark and Chad Irschick

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