4 ms·

I'm the exact mirror of you; I couldn't care less about Breaking Bad or Mad Men, the only thing I ever watch on cable TV is sports. This is how the bundled mod

I'm the exact mirror of you; I couldn't care less about Breaking Bad or Mad Men, the only thing I ever watch on cable TV is sports. This is how the bundled model works -- you pay a % of your bill for ESPN, I pay a % of my bill for AMC, and we get both. The %s are determined by the providers and networks playing chicken with each other over how many subscribers would leave if a network weren't included in a package. A la carte proponents seem to have a particular bee in their bonnets for sports, but it seems to me that that's the kind of content most likely to survive a cablepocalypse -- it has the most value in being viewed live. In your iTunes model for AMC, producing high-quality shows like Breaking Bad or Mad Men suddenly takes on movie-like risk.

untog 13y ago
In your iTunes model for AMC, producing high-quality shows like Breaking Bad or Mad Men suddenly takes on movie-like risk. Undoubtedly. But sports are rarely going to be purchased after their live broadcast date, wheras high quality dramas will have a huge longtail of purchases- I just started watching The Wire, for example. I think the reason that anyone has a bee in their bonnet about sports is that it commands far more money than other channels do. We are all subsidising sports fans far more than most other categories.
- jshen 13y ago
  Why not cancel your cable? Watch shows once you can get them through iTunes or amazon?
  - untog 13y ago
    I have. But I don't consider this the optimal solution to the problem.
    - talmand 13y ago
      Many shows are available on Amazon the day after broadcast. It's how I keep up with Breaking Bad and Walking Dead. In fact, that pricing currently beats $10 a month for AMC that the article claims.
    - jshen 13y ago
      As long as so many people are willing to pay for bundles they will likely continue. I applaud you for canceling
ctdonath 13y ago
This is how the bundled model works -- you pay a % of your bill for ESPN, I pay a % of my bill for AMC, and we get both. ...and I have no interest in either, use Netflix & iTunes, watch exactly what I want, pay no more or less, and don't end up with the short side of your "bundled" stick.

untog 13y ago

In your iTunes model for AMC, producing high-quality shows like Breaking Bad or Mad Men suddenly takes on movie-like risk. Undoubtedly. But sports are rarely going to be purchased after their live broadcast date, wheras high quality dramas will have a huge longtail of purchases- I just started watching The Wire, for example. I think the reason that anyone has a bee in their bonnet about sports is that it commands far more money than other channels do. We are all subsidising sports fans far more than most other categories.

jshen 13y ago
Why not cancel your cable? Watch shows once you can get them through iTunes or amazon?
- untog 13y ago
  I have. But I don't consider this the optimal solution to the problem.
  - talmand 13y ago
    Many shows are available on Amazon the day after broadcast. It's how I keep up with Breaking Bad and Walking Dead. In fact, that pricing currently beats $10 a month for AMC that the article claims.
  - jshen 13y ago
    As long as so many people are willing to pay for bundles they will likely continue. I applaud you for canceling

ctdonath 13y ago

This is how the bundled model works -- you pay a % of your bill for ESPN, I pay a % of my bill for AMC, and we get both. ...and I have no interest in either, use Netflix & iTunes, watch exactly what I want, pay no more or less, and don't end up with the short side of your "bundled" stick.