Cable Exec Suggests Changing Consumer Behavior, Not Business Model 675
Techdirt has pointed out yet another cable exec that just doesn't quite get it. Comcast's COO, Steve Burke, recently urged the TV industry to find ways to "get consumers to change" rather than figure out better methods to cater to demand. "'An entire generation is growing up, if we don't figure out how to change that behavior so it respects copyright and subscription revenue on the part of distributors, we're going to wake up and see cord cutting.' How many consumers, in any market, are focused on 'respecting' vendors' revenue streams? How, exactly, does he propose to effect this sea change? And why not just develop products that consumers will willingly pay for, rather than trying to change consumer behavior in such a fundamental way?"
Crap article, again. (Score:5, Informative)
I was all ready to pop out a funny, pithy comment like "Cable Consumer Suggests Changing Cable Exec", but decided to RTFA (yeah, stupid me, here, let me turn in my geek card ...), when I realized that it's just a bunch of manufactured hype. The Techdirt article that the Slashdot article is based on is based on is a piece of crap. Here's a link to the original article [broadcastingcable.com] rather than the Techdirt regurgitation.
I get the feeling this guy is being quoted somewhat out of context. Techdirt goes on a rant about how the cable companies need to develop new business models, not just beat up consumers. From a quick glance at the www.broadcastingcable.com article, it appears that he's saying that if cable doesn't evolve their business models, they'll bet run over by internet-based content providers. The original article discussed targeted ad content and better-than-Nielsen viewing measurement as future directions cable could move in to improve their business model. So, yeah, the Techdirt guy has his head up his ass.
Now, with that being said, I'm sure that whatever "new" business models the cable companies dream up will largely consist of overcharging consumers, providing crappy service, and extending DRM tentacles into everything they touch, and hence won't really be seen as a win here on Slashdot, and certainly won't be all that different from their current customer abuse.
Re:Crap article, again. (Score:1, Informative)
I'm sure that whatever "new" business models the cable companies dream up will largely consist of overcharging consumers, providing crappy service, and extending DRM tentacles into everything they touch, and hence won't really be seen as a win here on Slashdot, and certainly won't be all that different from their current customer abuse.
Hey! Anything involving tentacles is seen as a win by the Slashdot crowd, imo.
Comment removed (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Perspective (Score:5, Informative)
Did any of you click through to the original article being quoted?
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/366272-CTAM_Summit_2009_Comcast_s_Burke_Tells_TV_Biz_To_Help_Stop_Cord_Cutting.php [broadcastingcable.com]
The context of his comments is online video.
Comcast is worried that people will ditch cable for streaming tv/video.
What he really wants is Comcast Cable on the web.
Keeping the subscribers but moving eyeballs (and ad dollars) to the web.
They call it "TV Everywhere" [google.com] and there was apparently a press conference about it in June:
The top google result: http://newteevee.com/2009/06/23/what-you-need-to-know-about-tv-everywhere/ [newteevee.com]
Re: say exactly what my bosses wanted to hear (Score:5, Informative)
Some of us have done what he does, for 5-10% of his price. Beyond a certain point in the size of a business your actual roll, responsibilities and work load no longer increase, you delegate. Since he doesn't actually assume more responsibility by working at a larger company, then yes, some of us are capable.
It may be different if he was somehow going to be held to a higher standard, but he isn't, its just the opposite actually. If he fails, he will get treated no differently than I would. Actually thats not true, he has a golden parachute and someone else would be more than happy to hire him elsewhere, ignoring his failure, because he 'knows people'.
Being the COO of a multi-billion dollar company is no different than being the COO from a multi-million dollar company, contrary to what you would expect.
Re: say exactly what my bosses wanted to hear (Score:4, Informative)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comcast [wikipedia.org] (yeah, yeah, wiki, but it copy/pastes nicely)
Comcast fiscal data:
Revenue US$ 30.895 Billion (2007)
Operating income US$ 5.578 Billion (2007)
Net income US$ 2.587 Billion (2007)
Total assets US$ 113.417 Billion (2007)
Total equity US$ 41.340 Billion (2007)
I'd say Comcast is a textbook definition of a multi-billion dollar company.
Re:Perspective (Score:4, Informative)
That makes me think you are angry at the wrong people. Why do you blame the DVD authors? Why do you put up with DVD players that you cannot control? Aren't they the real problem?
The people who put the flags on the DVD ttat don't let you skip things are the same people who wrote a DVD licensing agreement which CE manufacturers must sign in order to make DVD players. So he is, in fact, angry at the correct people.
There is another way around them besides ripping and stripping. My DVD player has UOPs disabled through some hacked firmware. All buttons work all the time.
Re:Perspective (Score:5, Informative)
>>>Keeping the subscribers but moving eyeballs to the [Cable subscribers] web.
Comcast, Cox, and Time-Warner are all working on this together. Their ultimate goal is to remove the free videos from scifi.com, abcfamily.com, tnt.com, and other cable websites to a central location that is locked behind a wall. No more free rides for us non-cable subscribers.
QUOTE: "TV Everywhere is an authentication system whereby certain premium content (TV shows, movies, etc.) are available online -- but only if you can prove that you have a subscription to a multiservice operator (e.g. cable, satellite, telco TV)..... Cable companies pay big chunks of money to cable networks (USA, MTV, FX) to carry their programming. Comcast and its ilk are none too happy when these networks then turn around and put said content on the Internet for free."
So basically slashdotters are correct to be suspicious of this guy's "change consumer habits" statement.
Re:Perspective (Score:2, Informative)
Seriously, it sounds like you need to spend some "don't shake the baby" money on a good babysitter and take a break. Go out to dinner with the wife and do something fun afterwords like you used to.
I mean that in the kindest way possible.