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Content Tagged with cable + Content-Economics
CVC Will Appeal Ruling Barring DVR Storage Service
Last month, Cablevision lost the first round of a legal battle over its plans to launch a network-based DVR service that would allow users to view shows from a remote server as if on their own DVRs. U.S. District Judge Denny Chin sided with the studios and networks opposing the plan, saying, “The RS-DVR is clearly a service, and I hold that in providing this service, it is Cablevision that does the copying.” Cablevision, not known for backing down, now says it will appeal the ruling. COO Tom Rutledge’s statement via Reuters: arguing that a remote-storage DVR is the same as a personal DVR “that merely enables consumers to exercise their well-established rights to time-shift television programming. ... We continue to believe strongly that remote-storage DVR is permissible under current copyright laws.”
Related:
-- Cablevision Loses Network DVR Case In Court
Discovery Lays Off About 200; Will Reallocate Some Resources To Digital
Discovery laid off more three percent of its workforce today, about 200 total. The WP reports that the company, based in Silver Springs, that the U.S. networks brand group, Discovery education (on top of 84 jobs cut late last year), corporate communications and corporate affairs lost about 20 percent of their staffs. But the company also would be hiring in digital media with laid-off employees getting preference and the first chance at new jobs; a memo from new CEO David Zaslav also said more layoffs and and hires are likely. Zaslav told the WP: “It’s always difficult to restructure and reorganize, but we’re really focused on trying to build the biggest and strongest and most competitive non-fiction media company in the world.”
As the WP notes, the move comes one day before Zaslav ends his first 100 days on the job. Discovery held its upfront last week, announcing a new network and a new broadband initiative called iPremieres. (via LostRemote.)
MultichannelNews: This round is the second phase of Zaslav’s restructuring. The first was the departure of several senior execs in early February. From the company’s prepared statement: “The savings accrued from today’s actions are not intended to drop to the bottom line. We will be investing back in original programming, the marketing of our brands and digital-media extensions.”
Related:
-- Discovery New Media Plans Include Online Premieres
-- Discovery In Major Reorg; Wolzien, Berman On Board As Advisors
Cable Ad Bureau Pulls Out Of EBay Ad Exchange T
That was a short relationship ... In a blow for the nascent eBay Online Media Exchange, the Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau announced today that its members will not participate in further trials or usage of the exchange effective immediately. From the statement by Sean Cunningham, president and CEO of the CAB: “We appreciated the opportunity to test the system – throughout our review it became apparent that the Media Exchange was too narrow an application, had clear connectivity issues related to cable’s emerging end-to-end e-business platforms and lacked the provisions necessary for capturing critical strategic and idea-driven intelligence during a buy.” Equally daunting for proponents, Cunningham pointed to the lack of interest in the exchange by “major members of the agency community.” In other words, no critical mass without critical mass. (via WSJ)
The move comes less than a month after CAB members complained about being mentioned in publicity when its members hadn’t yet seen a trial and were then included.
Update: NYT: Cunningham told the Times: “We don’t believe that eBay is going to get this right.” he said seven national cable nets tested the exchange over the last month and decided it went too far in removing humans from the ad sales process.
Related:
-- Cable Nets And Ebay Media Marketplace Committee Work To Patch Things Up
-- Ebay Readies Online Ad Marketplace For March Launch
Discovery Buying Out Cox’s Stake For $1.2 Billion
Discovery Communications said today that it planned to buy out all of its stock held by Cox Communications in a deal that included transferring the Travel Channel (and Travelchannel.com and audio tour guides firm Antenna Audio) and $1.275 billion in cash to Cox for its 25 percent stake in the company. The transaction is expected to be completed in May. Release
B&C: The deal leaves Discovery with just two owners - John Malone’s Discovery Holding Corp., which owns two-thirds, and Advance/Newhouse Communications, which owns one-third. The transitioning out of Travel comes shortly after the arrival at Discovery of its new CEO David Zaslav, from NBC Universal, who has actively begun reshaping the underperforming Discovery.
Cablevision Assembles Group For Digital Marketing Efforts; New EVP
U.S. cable company Cablevision has created a new digital marketing/commerce division with the goal of attracting advertisers and subscribers as it seeks to fend off a challenge in the New York metro area by Verizon FiOS, Mulitchannel News reports. The new division is headed by Patricia Gottesman, a 28-year Cablevision vet, who has been named EVP of digital marketing and commerce.
Initially, the group will start working on a linear-channel-based, TV-remote-enabled shopping experience. Cablevision has already been experimenting with linear and multiplatform advertising models. Two-and-a-half years ago, Cablevision released Optimum Homes and Optimum Autos, linear channels that showcase real estate and cars for sale from area vendors. Those channels are also supported by a broadband component on Cablevision’s Optimum Online Internet service.
This is shaping up to be Cablevision’s biggest challenge as an MSO to date. And despite the court loss we reported on earlier involving the creation of a network-based DVR service, Cablevision is likely to maintain its aggressive roll-out of new digital initiatives. The company is in 3 million homes and businesses in its 4.6 million-home footprint in the New York metro area and reports 78 percent penetration of its iO digital product, the highest such penetration among major cable operators.
Related:
-- Cablevision Loses Network DVR Case In Court
-- Verizon, AT&T U-verse Look Local For Programming
Cablevision Loses Network DVR Case In Court
Cablevision has lost a legal battle against several studios and TV networks to introduce a network-based DVR service. U.S. District Judge Denny Chin in New York ruled against the cable company.
It had hoped a network-based DVR system, called Remote Storage DVR or RS-DVR, would have done away with the need for the installation digital set-top boxes in subscribers’ homes, and instead the storage would be on the cable company’s end. Other cable operators had been vocal in their support for such a system, but have not jumped into it for fear of such legal reprisal.
Chin agreed with the studios and networks in his ruling: “The RS-DVR is clearly a service, and I hold that in providing this service, it is Cablevision that does the copying.”
MultiChannel: The ruling was applauded by one major programmer, Turner Broadcasting System. “Obviously, we are very satisfied with the result and we are pleased that the court has accepted our view of the rules of the road: headend-based copying requires a license,” said a Turner spokesperson.
Update: Cablevision is considering an appeal.
Related:
-- TV Networks Sue Cablevision
-- Add Turner’s CNN, Cartoon Network To List Of Cablevision Remote DVR Foes
-- Lawsuit Over Cablevision DVR Plans Could Change Copyright Law
Cablevision Lose Network DVR Case In Court
Cablevision has lost a legal battle against several studios and TV networks to introduce a network-based DVR service. U.S. District Judge Denny Chin in New York ruled against the cable company.
It had hoped a network-based DVR system, called Remote Storage DVR or RS-DVR, would have done away with the need for the installation digital set-top boxes in subscribers’ homes, and instead the storage would be on the cable company’s end. Other cable operators had been vocal in their support for such a system, but have not jumped into it for fear of such legal reprisal.
Chin agreed with the studios and networks in his ruling: “The RS-DVR is clearly a service, and I hold that in providing this service, it is Cablevision that does the copying.”
MultiChannel: The ruling was applauded by one major programmer, Turner Broadcasting System. “Obviously, we are very satisfied with the result and we are pleased that the court has accepted our view of the rules of the road: headend-based copying requires a license,” said Turner spokesperson.
Related:
-- TV Networks Sue Cablevision
-- Add Turner’s CNN, Cartoon Network To List Of Cablevision Remote DVR Foes
-- Lawsuit Over Cablevision DVR Plans Could Change Copyright Law