media

HBO, Netflix, And Bad Relationships

by

Well the whole “Twimance” causing a stir on the internet isn’t the only confusing relationship.  Closer to less good-looking is the fact that HBO won’t be partnering with Netflix.  Considering they have some major properties, this isn’t good for Netflix, which is having it’s own problems as of late – and though I have confidence in them, they are in a rather rocky industry.

But hey, HBO has their own streaming, right?  And then there’s Crackle.  And Hulu, and . . . well we’re up to our armpits in various streaming services all of a sudden.  Of course they don’t all carry each other’s stuff, or in the case of some anime, everyone carries it (Really, do THIS many services need to carry “Queen’s Blade?” Wait, nevermind.)

So it’s some not-quite-walled gardens, battling it out.  This misses a larger factor near and dear to this cable-cutter’s heart.

Namely, after awhile, some people may not give a damn about series if they have to go through a lot of rigamarole to get them, or get a specialty service they don’t want, or watch something drop off of a service.  It’s like taking all the annoyances about cable and adding brand new ones.

So at some point do people stop caring about The Hot Thing?  Or waiting for the DVDs?  Or pursuing alternate media (I can just read Game Of Thrones, even if it lacks the awesome of Dinklage).

I see this as a possible danger because in trying to keep up with big things, you have to face all these service annoyances.  If you get cable, you face cable annoyances.  Really, at some point people may just not care and buy eps on iTunes, get DVDs, or just give the hell up (which in a way I kind of did). There’s enough media out there that the Big Thing is only big because others say so.

I see this re-dilution of media access actually being bad for the media companies.  It looks bad, creates ill will, and diminishes interest.

– Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach for professional and potentially professional geeks, fans, and otaku. He can be reached at https://www.stevensavage.com/

Hulu Not Requiring A Cable Subscription – Yet

by

OK this is a rumor, and it sounds like it’s not happening/not for awhile, but there was talk of Hulu requiring a cable subscription.

This popped up yesterday, and after an initial clarification, it looks like the oft-discussed idea would mean a delay getting content. It also doesn’t sound like it has a lot of support.

I want to call this out if for nothing else so people keep an eye on this possibility. A few thoughts:

  • As a cable-cutter this is not going to get me to use cable, it’s going to piss me off. I don’t see it as a way to rope in hardcore cable cutters.
  • This could get people to stop trying the service or get less interested in it – which may be a way to kill it off.
  • I see attempts to do this could fragment the Hulu backers.
  • Attempts to do this also might lead to competitors to leap in. If you want to be a competitor or work with one, pay attention.
  • Attempts to do this might also lead to all sorts of lovely legal complications and issues. If you’r in geek law, keep an eye out.
  • Any competitors who leap in would already have their own services for streaming . . . say, Netflix or OnLive . . .
  • Note a big idea is to make it so you can only see shows after 30 days if you have no subscription.  That plays to the one and only thing the content companies have – access/immediacy.

I’m still watching this, but I’m not sure we’ll see any motion for awhile.

– Steven Savage

Media and the Future: What we bought wasn’t what was sold.

by

Hollywood's movie number aren't what they seem, SOPA, PIPA, and ACTA have support that is clueless if not malicious.  We're not happy as we decry lousy media, bad law, and bad faith. It seems that people are a might distressed with some media companies – even as we geeks want to work in or with media.

I've been speculating on this divide recently.  We're glad to pay for our media – most of us have a fundamental sense of fairness that goes into "Shut up and take my money" territory.  We're glad to work with media because we like it.  Yet, too many times, various media interests dodge, engage in subterfuge, or just outright try to turn government to their interest and away from ours.

Yes, this is stupid.  Yes there's greed, malice, and inertia, but I think there's a major factor being ignored here.  I think this factor is one reason Hollywood and the rest of Big Media are caught so flat-footed.

They sold us one thing, but we were buying another.

Read more