# VOD vs. PVR: Are You Willing to Give Up FF?



## Guest (May 8, 2002)

"Free VOD for '24', 'Shield' on Cablevision"
http://www.mediaweek.com/mediaweek/headlines/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1484975

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In a first-of-its-kind trial, Fox Entertainment Group and Cablevision Systems have agreed to offer Fox Broadcasting's "24" and FX's "The Shield" on a free video-on-demand basis on Cablevision's iO digital cable platform.
In return for rights to use the two series, Cablevision has agreed to run hundreds of promotional spots on its cable system leading up to the May 21 season finale of "24" and the June 4 ender for "The Shield."

Under the terms of the deal, which takes effect immediately, Cablevision will make every episode of both series available on VOD and then add and promote subsequent original shows less than 24 hours after they air on Fox and FX, the parties said.

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quote:
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"We're both trying to learn," Chernin told reporters, adding that Cablevision CEO James Dolan had approached him about the trial. "I believe it is a valuable business model for us. We're interested in experimenting."
So, perhaps, are other cable operators and programmers who are concerned about the havoc a hard drive in the home could wreak on the traditional advertiser-supported model of broadcast and cable television.

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quote:
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Rollouts in earnest of such a service are probably a few years away as operators and programmers try to figure out a viable business model. Is it a subscription service or pay-per-view? Can a technology be developed to prevent viewers from zapping through commercials while watching VOD shows? That could be a boon for networks and advertisers with the VOD showings acting as a repurposing of their shows, boosting eyeballs and gross ratings points.
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Now, the question for PVR/VCR owners is this -- Which is your priority for owning/using your PVR/VCR device: Time-shifting or FF through commercials?

Is this a good compromise? They offer (for pay, of course) VOD to fit your busy lifestyle -- but you can't FF through the commercials, making their advertisers happy.

And, here's a little something for the folks who are now very much aware of who Jamie Kellner is.

quote:
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Turner Broadcasting System Inc. chairman and CEO Jamie Kellner agreed that programmers need to address the personal video recorder issue.
"We should force this business forward and be as reasonable as we can," Kellner said. "And we have to see if viewers are not watching the commercials. If viewers are not watching commercials, there has to be some sort of pay model. If it goes into PVRs, there's no way to monitor it."

Added Disney president and chief operating officer Robert Iger: "We have to be able to create a reasonable ... business model that will benefit distributors and programmers alike."

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## Scott Greczkowski (Mar 21, 2002)

For me its time shifting, I usualy forget to fast forward through the commercials.

For my wife, she likes both and actually yells at me when we are both watching TV and I forget to fast forward through the commercials.


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## Mark Lamutt (Mar 24, 2002)

For me, timeshifting is not only watching on my schedule, but also not watching commercials, so I wouldn't be interested in this. I'll just contunue to record at the scheduled time, and watch at my convenience.


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## Neil Derryberry (Mar 23, 2002)

They will never get my pvr.


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## DarrellP (Apr 24, 2002)

Use a SA Tivo or VCR, order your show and off you go. When you watch it, ZAP! No commercials. What's the BFD? If they turn on Macrovision, get a Sima color corrector.


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## Guest (May 9, 2002)

Neil Derryberry said:
They will never get my pvr.


Neil they won't have to they'll just render the damn thing useless!


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## jegrant (Mar 24, 2002)

Well, if I cannot FF through commercials, the program in question ought to be provided FREE. With no additional fee - ever.

If I *can* FF through commercials, then I can see paying for it.

I would take a free PVR that didn't FF through commercials as long as there was no extra charge to use it.

I have VOD on digital cable but find it useless, for me. The only thing they have are re-runs of TV shows and kids' shows (mostly 99 cents each, flat monthly fee available for kids stuff) and a not-so-recently released movie library (costs just under $4 to "rent" a movie for 24 hours). We buy lots of VHS videos here, so chances are if we want it, it's either sitting on a video rack or just about to come out on HBO or Showtime (which we also get).

Now, if they'd get serious about adding VOD programming (like HBO on Demand and Starz/Encore on demand) then I would be interested, but also feel that these services should be free with purchase of the accompanying premium channel.


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