[SBE] The future of Broadcasting.

[Dan Rapak]

First of all, in having this discussion, I think we need to differentiate 
between radio and television. Maintaining radio is crucial in that the 
dissemination of information in times of emergencies cannot be left to the 
wired infrastructure. I was working the mobile unit covering the World 
Series at Candlestick Park when the earthquake hit. Cell phones were useless 
and land line phones were severely overloaded. I was in New York on 9/11. It 
wasn't possible to place a call on most cell phone systems. I had Verizon 
cell service. It worked but it took awhile to get through as it too was 
severely overloaded. Ditto the northeast blackout. In times of emergency, 
relying on the public landline network (including wireless Internet which 
connects to it) just won't do.

That's radio. When it comes to television no one on this list is going to 
want to hear what follows. With respect, I think we may be missing the 
point. The core issue is not so much what the FCC or the government will or 
will not do. The issue is the marketplace.

Internet speeds keep getting faster and faster. Codecs keep getting better 
and better. Services like Hulu may not be full HD-1080P yet, but they don't 
look bad at all and they're getting better all the time. They're certainly 
better than the way YouTube looked when it was becoming a market force (sold 
in '06 for $1,650,000,000) and they look MUCH better than the Skype video 
that many broadcasters have begun using for remote pickups.

I know that everyone says people won't want to watch programming on their 
computers. Perhaps so, but you know what? They won't have to. Television 
sets are already beginning to sport RJ-45 connectors. TiVo boxes have had 
them for some time. The day is rapidly approaching when you will turn on 
your TV set and call up a programming menu very similar to what you get on a 
digital cable box or a satellite receiver. The difference is, you won't look 
at a listing by time-of-day that tells you when you can watch. You'll look 
at a listing by PROGRAM. You'll pick the show you want to watch. Then you'll 
pick the exact episode you want to watch and you'll watch it precisely WHEN 
you want to watch it. That is what consumers will expect. That is what they 
will become used to. Unfortunately, there's simply no way a television 
broadcaster can compete with that.

That, my friends, is the way the free marketplace works. Why do you think GE 
is getting rid of NBC? Why do you think there is noise about Disney 
divesting itself of ABC? The days of the big stick on the mountaintop are 
drawing to a close. The handwriting isn't on the wall, its on your computer 
screen. Get used to it and plan your careers accordingly.

Respectfully,
Dan Rapak - CPBE, 8VSB, CBNT
ABC Television Network - Retired




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob Reite" <br at telcen.com>
To: "sbe member discussion mail list" <sbe at sbe.org>
Sent: Sunday, March 14, 2010 10:32 PM
Subject: Re: [SBE] The future of Broadcasting.



>I think that you are being a little bit paranoid.  The Internet lets 

>everyone be a "broadcaster" for a very low entry cost.  If traditional 

>broadcasters want to keep their audience, they had better start offering 

>better programming.  I quit watching broadcast TV over 5 years ago, because 

>the entertainment shows were no longer entertaining, and the news 

>programming seemed to all rally  for the war in Iraq, with no critical 

>analysis against it, unlike the news commentary during the Vietnam war.

>

> Yes, with the DTV transition, we lost some more of the UHF spectrum and in 

> the major markets, low VHF, but since one can cram 4 channels of standard 

> def programming into a 6 MHz channel, I feel that we still come out ahead.

>

>

> Edwin Bukont wrote:

>> Right wing nut jobs?

>>  Conspiracy theorists?

>>  Where?  So far every name mentioned, with their words and deeds now 

>> public record, is a card carrying member of either the Clinton 

>> liberal-elite or the Obama liberal-elite.  I don't either of those can be 

>> called 'right wing".  There is nothing here in theorey or conspiracy, 

>> nothing thought up by a right wing nut.

>>  The face of the matter is that what was begun in 1994, the Clinton 

>> years, then stopped during the Bush years, has now been resurrected under 

>> Obama.  That ressurection is the plan to kill the very business that 

>> holds liberal causes so dear. Face the facts.  The conspiracy is on the 

>> part of the liberal elites to remove freedom of speech and freedom to 

>> assemble from the mass populace.  An all broadband world is an all 

>> monitored and tracked world.  'They', the proponents of a national ID 

>> plan, (which is what your future IPv6 smart phone will be) intend  and 

>> will know what you listen to, where you listen to it, who else is 

>> listening with you and what your thoughts as you discuss them in a chat.

>>  The First Amendment is under attack.  And this is a fact.  That appears 

>> to be the intent of Reed Hundt's vision, an all wired world that leads 

>> government right into any room in your house.  Brought to you by liberal 

>> visionaries.  No right wings or conservatives involved.

>>

>> Edwin Bukont CSRE, DRB, CBNT V- 240.417.2475; F- 

>> 240.368.1265 ------------------------------------------------------------------------

>> From: tomtraveller at hotmail.com

>> To: sbe at sbe.org

>> Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 17:41:39 -0800

>> Subject: Re: [SBE] The future of Broadcasting.

>>

>> Right-wing wing nuts and conspiracy theorists, anyone who thinks the 

>> government can plan this far ahead and implement grandiose plans deserves 

>> their paranoia.  They are part of the problem(s).

>>  Thomas Wojciechowski

>> CBRE, lifetime

>>  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

>> Hotmail: Trusted email with powerful SPAM protection. Sign up now. 

>> <http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/210850553/direct/01/>

>>

>>

>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

>>

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