FCC to Regulate online video streaming

[jos]

Federal Communications Commission is considering if it should begin to regulate online video services, like they do cable companies. the FCC is expected to vote on a proposal that would put some streaming video firms into the same regulatory bucket as multichannel video programming distributors, or cable and satellite TV firms, such as Comcast, Dish Network and Cox. The idea, according to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, is to help online video providers become stronger competitors to cable and satellite firms by making it easier to obtain valuable TV programming for the Web. Under the plan, streaming companies would be able to use the FCC's program access rules to ensure TV networks offer the licensing of their programs. That would allow Apple, for instance, to bring ABC, NBC and Comedy Central to the bargaining table for their programs.

 

lobbyists for Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon met with several senior FCC officials to express their concerns with the plan. Their business plans for the future may dramatically change.

 

Most TV networks don't like the plan either. They want to be able to reject deals with streaming providers at their whim. And they want to be able to negotiate privately for distribution contracts without the watchful eye of the FCC. Last week, AMC president of distribution Bob Broussard and other executives met with top aides to the FCC chairman and said the new rules would hurt their bottom line and brand.

 

Execs from Discovery and broadcast networks, such as ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, have also met with FCC officials in recent weeks to protest the plan.

For programmers, streaming has become a new and lucrative line of revenue. What they don't want is for any of those lines of revenues to go away or merge.

 

 

It is a good thing... hope the control wont go further than allowing network programs on stream services.. Now i guess more reasons to cut cable..

 

Source:https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2015/07/30/this-idea-by-the-fcc-is-terrifying-apple-amazon-and-microsoft/?tid=sm_tw

[Trik'Stari]

Now if only they would actually do something about complaints against ISP's throttling said video services. I reported my ISP a few weeks ago, head nothing back from either the ISP or the FCC (in fact it's gotten worse since I reported them).

 

Still, go FCC, go! Ruin their little monopoly playhouse.

[wyattzx]

I have DiSH network where I live. I have to say, their prices are not too nice, but the service and billing is consistent and reliable. Picture quality is as good as it gets for satellite, and a helluva lot of channels are in HD. (Granted, it's only 720p / 1080i, but still.) We've got 250 Channels, and I actively watch about fifteen. However, upon signing up, we had Cinemax and whatnot free for a year. It was actually free, and we were able to cut it before our bill was charged full for it. Now we get monthly previews of channels, including HBO. All for free. 

 

I'm not an AdBot run by DiSH, but in a time where Cable / Satellite is being dropped left and right, I can say firsthand that what's out there isn't horrible. We're paying $85 a month for 250 channel,s about 70% of which are in HD, as well as free previews, and programming across four different rooms. Plus DVR, which we can record stuff onto. It's a 1TB DVR box, so it can hold about 500-600 programs, roughly. (Movies, in this case.)

[0ld_Chicken]

i dont own a television.

[blackadder]

I was thinking this was like twitch streaming, i would have thought they would have done this by now.

[Trik'Stari]

I have DiSH network where I live. I have to say, their prices are not too nice, but the service and billing is consistent and reliable. Picture quality is as good as it gets for satellite, and a helluva lot of channels are in HD. (Granted, it's only 720p / 1080i, but still.) We've got 250 Channels, and I actively watch about fifteen. However, upon signing up, we had Cinemax and whatnot free for a year. It was actually free, and we were able to cut it before our bill was charged full for it. Now we get monthly previews of channels, including HBO. All for free. 

 

I'm not an AdBot run by DiSH, but in a time where Cable / Satellite is being dropped left and right, I can say firsthand that what's out there isn't horrible. We're paying $85 a month for 250 channel,s about 70% of which are in HD, as well as free previews, and programming across four different rooms. Plus DVR, which we can record stuff onto. It's a 1TB DVR box, so it can hold about 500-600 programs, roughly. (Movies, in this case.)

The question is, how many of those 250 channels do you actually watch? I don't know exactly how many channels we get with DirecTV, but I know we don't watch at least 75% of them.

[Belgarionbg]

We're paying $85 a month for 250 channel,s about 70% of which are in HD,

:blink: That`s crazy.

Here you get only 130 channels (~50% in HD), but just for 3$/month. ( and my net is 100/100Mbps up/down for 14$ with no traffic limits.) And this is in my small town with under 20 000 people. In our capital you can get something around triple that for half the money. :lol:

It`s а good thing that I don`t live in USA.

[spartaman64]

i dont use it i only have it because its the only way to get decent internet is with a bundle

[Guest]

Depends on your country

Here in my country you only have three options

-Get Cable that's great but overpriced

-Get Cable that's bad and still fairly overpriced

-Or steal your neighbors television

[flibberdipper]

Now if only they would actually do something about complaints against ISP's throttling said video services. I reported my ISP a few weeks ago, head nothing back from either the ISP or the FCC (in fact it's gotten worse since I reported them).

 

Still, go FCC, go! Ruin their little monopoly playhouse.

*cough* @Darkman with everything *cough*

 

This is great though. If only ATT would stop making my grandma's connection absolute dog shit. She pays for 3/1 and gets .5/.5 most of the time.

[EChondo]

I have DirecTV(which might change if AT&T fucks it up), but I don't watch it, my dad and mom does. My dad and I are both tech heads so we know what is going on, so we both want to cut the cable, but my mom needs her shows

[mr moose]

i dont use it i only have it because its the only way to get decent internet is with a bundle

I have been thinking about this recently, people like yourself that are forced to buy a product they neither want nor need and isn't intrinsically linked to internet performance. 

 

One of the definitions of anti trust is forcing a consumer to purchase a product that isn't directly required by tying it to an otherwise independent service/product.

 

Why haven't these ISP's been done for anti trust?

[Me1z]

I have been thinking about this recently, people like yourself that are forced to buy a product they neither want nor need and isn't intrinsically linked to internet performance. 

 

One of the definitions of anti trust is forcing a consumer to purchase a product that isn't directly required by tying it to an otherwise independent service/product.

 

Why haven't these ISP's been done for anti trust?

 

Because they know how to fill the right pockets to keep themselves out of harms way.

[mr moose]

Because they know how to fill the right pockets to keep themselves out of harms way.

too bloody right!

 

Unfortunately I know, academically I know,  cognitively I know, emotionally I know.  It just pisses me off because it's a form of corporate dictator ship. And if I don't say something I am supporting the ideal.

[Yog]

The FCC makes this sound like something good but if it were don't you think at least one involved party would like it? If this actually accomplishes what the FCC claims and gives online streaming services a greater chance of grabbing content from the broadcasters don't you think the broadcasters would enjoy selling to a new customer or the streaming service enjoy providing a new service to their own customers? I mean, I can see NBC being upset since they're owned by Comcast but why on earth would Discovery, ABC, CBS, Fox, Apple, Microsoft and Amazon all be lobbying against this?

 

I'm obviously biased since I don't trust the FCC to begin with but it just seems questionable when people who the FCC claims will be able to make more money from this are not only against it but actively spending money to oppose it.