So, if the TV stations are spectrum hogs then here’s a way to deal with it.
Remember when, in the US, the cablecos started up? They got their content by, ahem, redistributing broadcast TV stations.
Here’s my subversive little proposition. Let the TV stations keep their spectrum. Just make it so that anyone can redistribute their content on a not-for-profit basis. What’s good for the cablecos is good for you and me.
Suddently, every man and his dog will be legitimately uploading and downloading TV progams. BitTorrent and torrentocracy will become as mainstream as VCR and TiVo. And you’ve just sown the seeds of the replacement content distribution businesses, divorced it from connectivity provision, and given symmetric network connections a big boost.
If we’re blessed with another kid, and it’s a boy, I think I’ll have to call him Machiavelli Geddes. Although Mrs G, looking over my shoulder, doesn’t seem so keen. Perhaps she thinks we’ll have another girl. Machiavella Geddes, then, I guess.
Posted by Martin Geddes at 11:06 PMTrackBack URL for this entry:
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Women have no appreciation for fine baby names. How else can you explain someone passing up a great name like "Biff the Wonder Baby"? It's like they form some kind of proprietary feelings after hauling it around for nine months or something.
Posted by: at October 26, 2004 05:57 PMWhen the first cablecos started stringing cable to redistribute tv to rural areas they were the only channels available and thus in demand.
Today, the several broadcast channels are important but because of the huge selection of cable/sat offerings they're not nearly as important as before; some can even argue their relevance at all (basic DTV sats dont even carry local broadcast channels unless ordered specifically).
So while I'd love getting my latest simpsons fix via bittorent(legally), its not a complete solution since majority of programming falls outside of broadcast anyway.
Ideal solution: have gov't take back broadcast spectrum and allocate it for wireless broadband use (low frequency means NLOS omnidirectional goodness). Then give broadcasters free-ride to distribute over new wireless broadband to compensate. (i'm dreaming i know).
Posted by: at October 26, 2004 11:26 PM