MSO's, Roku and Dish

[jbrelish]

Here's an interesting article.

http://www.multichannel.com/news-article/next-tv-summit-roku-ceo-sees-virtual-mso-coming/139331

 

[primestar31]

Yeah, the big guys are already trying to muscle in and take over and choke every dime out of you, even when you jump to the 'net to get your tv.

I had Ivi tv 2 years ago, until they managed to pretty much stomp them out of existence. It was GREAT having all that content so cheaply!

Looks like Roku may succeed, with their "protection guys" cash partners running interference, and 10 years down the road we will be right back at $100 subs, and nothing to watch we haven't seen before.

 

[Tampa8]

That's what you got from that article? LVI is one of the very few times I agreed 100% with content providers and carriers. They were illegal, period. Of course you liked it, they were giving you cheap, illegal programming. Same thing with Roku. People were getting programming not meant to be seen in that manner. Notice most any international channel that was taken down from Roku when Dish got involved was not supposed to be streaming in the U.S or not for free. Ones meant to be seen, like Al Jeezra or BBC remain. What I got from reading that was the possibly of smaller programming packages could be offered via Roku or other streaming devices. Nothing to do with taking what is meant to be free away.

 

[DishSubLA]

I believe all the content offered officially via Roku had rights clearances. It's just that the international programmers retain the rights to do what they want with their programming including allowing local broadcasters, MVPD's and Roku, et al. access.

All this means is that Dish, BskyB will soon be another "channel" available via Roku. but it will be a "virtual" MVPD service much like cable and satellite TV today. The MVPD's doing this just need access to the greatest numbers and Roku is the most successful of the bunch.

 

[llzel]

I use my Roku everyday. I would love to see a streaming app.

 

[Tampa8]

I believe all the content offered officially via Roku had rights clearances.

Roku officially allows content not directly from them, so no there were several that were illegal, no secret. EuroNews is among them, you are not allowed to get streaming EuroNews live in the U.S. even from their own website. Well known by international users but there it was on Roku by a couple of individuals. Anyone that was aware of it knew it would be taken down. Several channels from India the same. TVJapan for awhile was on Roku, terrible feed, and they actually took action and forced it off. (Not to be confused with NHK news that is on TVJapan also)

 

[DustoMan]

We are already seeing this "Virtual MSO" tide starting through folks like SkyAngel who made some noise earlier this year to the FCC because Discovery Communications refused to even talk to those guys about offering their programming over their IPTV service. Giving companies like SkyAngel MSO status would essentially force Discovery to do business with them.

 

[The Fat Man]

All I have to say is for now, what I use my Roku for hasn't been eliminated by Dish. My kids still get their netflix for the cartoons they like, but aren't on tv anymore (Rugrats, Jimmy Neutron, etc.). My wife gets to use EPIX for movies she likes, and I get access to ... which I enjoy due to ... and feel that companies like Dish and government agencies like the FCC shouldn't be able to ... With that said, for all the people from Dish now wondering what I am even referring to, good luck. In the end, if I chose to access programming and news from international sources, that you don't provide on your TV service, then quit your complaining. I'm not referring to programming that can be accessed through American television, I'm referring to programming such as ... and ... and let's not forget ...

 

[Juan]

Roku officially allows content not directly from them, so no there were several that were illegal, no secret. EuroNews is among them, you are not allowed to get streaming EuroNews live in the U.S. even from their own website. Well known by international users but there it was on Roku by a couple of individuals. Anyone that was aware of it knew it would be taken down. Several channels from India the same. TVJapan for awhile was on Roku, terrible feed, and they actually took action and forced it off. (Not to be confused with NHK news that is on TVJapan also)

Is it really Illegal. I see it kinda like watching ESPN on the big dish where they would put warnings up that you were intercepting their programming illegally. ROKU takes content available on the internet (legally) and just puts it in a format for your TV. In other words its "A-OK" to watch certain international channels if you have a computer connected to a TV but it's illegal to get them thru roku.

 

[Tampa8]

Is it really Illegal. I see it kinda like watching ESPN on the big dish where they would put warnings up that you were intercepting their programming illegally. ROKU takes content available on the internet (legally) and just puts it in a format for your TV. In other words its "A-OK" to watch certain international channels if you have a computer connected to a TV but it's illegal to get them thru roku.

No, it was outright illegal, period. EuroNews for instance does not allow it's programming to be streamed in the U.S. It was taken illegally from an English stream meant for another country, or- from someone who gets it from Dish or a carrier. TVJapan does not give it's signal free, and as I said took action to have it removed from Roku early on. Those and others were very illegal.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

There were a number of channels that were put up on Private Channels which were not legal, Euronews, BBC, TV Japan and a number of others. These again were on Private Channels and not on official supported Roku channels.

 

[Tampa8]

I have to somewhat disagree. They were not put there by Roku themselves very true, but Roku allowed them to be there. That to me makes Roku officially supporting it. They may well have made the structure to allow outside developers so Roku could deny association and responsibility, but in the end it's their product and they control it.

 

[yaz96]

I have to somewhat disagree. They were not put there by Roku themselves very true, but Roku allowed them to be there. That to me makes Roku officially supporting it. They may well have made the structure to allow outside developers so Roku could deny association and responsibility, but in the end it's their product and they control it.

So, do you also fault the internet providers because child porn crosses their wires? Do they officially support it in your mind?

 

[Tampa8]

An internet provider is not the same as Roku. To make your analogy correct, an internet site however would be the same as the Roku site where you "post" or use them for your material. And yes, I would hold that site responsible for allowing people to post child pornography. Roku has complete control of what is seen on it, they are not innocent with no control to stop illegal programming. It's possible I could be convinced an internet provider is responsible, but that is much more complicated since they deal with hundreds of thousands of sites, new ones can happen and do all the time everyday. Roku is dealing with an overall very small amount of material, and maybe not at first, but after a short time should be able to block/delete illegal programming. Proof to me, that is exactly what happened.

 

[The Fat Man]

To me it's this simple. If there are means to the content via American tv. Then it's illegal. This includes TV Japan, BBC (since BBC America shows BBC content), etc. Now the gray area is whether the content is available in your area. I argue in a case like this that the private content isn't illegal. Let's say you could prove that there isn't any LOS for either satellite company, and you have only one cable option. That said, you want to get one of the international outlets, but can't. Private Channels should be allowed. The flaw in my logic is that companies like Dish thought of it and came up with "Dish World". It's sad that it came to crap like this. It's like Poland Spring being pissed that people are drinking from the river for free, so they buy rights to land around the river and charge for access to the land. Now water is the foundation of life and this situation is tv channels. But, if the content was out there prior to this Dish World crap, then screw Dish World. I feel like it's 1987 all over again with Nintendo's bull crap claim to Tetris. A game invented by someone else, and Nintendo got its greedy little hands on it.

I guess I just made two seperate arguments in one post.

 

[Tampa8]

To me it's this simple. If there are means to the content via American tv. Then it's illegal.

EuroNews and others are respecting that those TV carriers are paying for their channel, and have decided it's not legal to get them other ways. It's the reverse of channels like AMC that whore themselves out to various places while still expecting more and more money from Big daddy.

 

[dare2be]

I feel like it's 1987 all over again with Nintendo's bull crap claim to Tetris. A game invented by someone else, and Nintendo got its greedy little hands on it.

Oh, c'mon, that's the foundation of the American Copyright System and the American Way.

 

[The Fat Man]

I still say the tengen version is way better than any Nintendo ever put on the shelves.

Tampa, I have to agree about AMC. I make the same argument over re-transmission fees for locals. Total bull crap there. "Let me give my signal away for free then bitch that cable and satellite pick it up and use it."