Cablevision Sues Viacom For Channel Bundling Accuses Company of Antitrust Violations

[Poke]

Man networks and providers waste too much time in court.

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Cablevision-Sues-Viacom-For-Channel-Bundling-123287

 

[CK SatGuy]

Interesting, maybe we'll see some more a la carte options if Cablevision wins.

 

[harshness]

You can bet that Disney has already spun up their nuclear powered amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief generator.

The agonizing aspect about the Viacom networks for me is that, other than Palladia, I would be willing to give up the whole lot without so much as a second thought. This is a case where even the flagship channels have lost much of their value and even the best and brightest programs from all of their channels combined doesn't add up to much more than three or four (IMHO) worthwhile channels.

The problem is that they're offering around 16 channels in relatively big bundles. For Viacom this means that at any one instant in time, there's a commercial playing on at least one of each group of networks and there's a 33% chance there are two commercials playing.

Commercials were conceived to support free TV but they're cramming them in tight to support pay TV and charging ever more for the pleasure.

 

[HDRoberts]

I never thought I'd say this, but I hope Cablevision wins. The bundling is ridiculous, especially from Viacom and Disney.

 

[dare2be]

Finally, antitrust being brought to the forefront with these media conglomerates. This is in no way a "waste" of court time and money.

 

[KAB]

The irony is they (subsidiary Rainbow Media) force the AMC channels onto providers, though not nearly as many.

 

[CK SatGuy]

Here's a redacted version of Cablevision's lawsuit: http://www.scribd.com/doc/129189400/Cablevision-v-Viacom-13-CIV-1278-Public-Redacted-Complaint
Forbes article on it: http://www.forbes.com/sites/danielf...suit-against-viacom-is-all-about-shelf-space/

 

[NotMe546]

The irony is they (subsidiary Rainbow Media) force the AMC channels onto providers, though not nearly as many.

That's why they suck. The a-hole dolans are all about themselves.