The Supreme Court announced this afternoon that it will hear the lawsuit filed by the broadcast networks against streaming video startup Aereo. How the court rules will have an impact not just on consumers’ ability to stream live network feeds online, but on all cloud-based media storage. [More]
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Want To Watch NFL Playoffs Online? You’ll Need To Be A Cable Subscriber For Some Games
By 1.3.14
Streaming video technology and broadband speeds have improved to the point where watching live TV online can be almost indistinguishable from the real thing, which is one reason why many people have cut ties with their cable TV providers in recent years. But if those cord-cutters — or any DirecTV subscribers who happen to be away from home — want to watch all of the NFL playoff games online this month, they’ll need to get a friend’s cable company login. [More]
Cablevision: Broadcasters’ Attack On Aereo Doing More Damage Than Good
By 12.12.13
As you probably know, the broadcast networks have all been filing lawsuits against streaming video startup Aereo, which takes freely available over-the-air feeds and makes them available online to paying customers. While you’d expect a large cable operator like Cablevision to stand behind the networks in this fight, a new paper from the company expresses concern that the broadcasters are going too far and, if successful, may call into question the legality of all cloud-based technology. [More]
The Robots Are Winning: Amazon Wants To Use Autonomous Drones To Deliver Stuff To Your Door
By 12.1.13
What’s the next step in door-to-door delivery for online purchases? According to Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, it’s self-piloting drone helicopters, which isn’t at all terrifying. [More]
Time Warner Cable Loses 300,000 Customers Because Of Idiotic CBS Blackout
By 10.31.13
While we didn’t pick sides in the moronic month-long fight between Time Warner Cable and CBS (because they both hate you and are just using you for your money), it always seemed like TWC was fighting the more pointless battle, as it needs the network more than the network needs it and it will be the one that ultimately has to anger customers by increasing their monthly bills. The utter pointlessness of the blackout was made even more evident today when TWC blamed the loss of hundreds of thousands of subscribers on the prolonged spat. [More]
DirecTV, TWC, Charter Mulling Over Aereo-Like Services
By 10.28.13
While Aereo — the online service that transmits over-the-air network feeds to subscribers’ computers and mobile devices — is slugging it out with broadcasters in court, the operators of several cable and satellite services are reportedly looking to launch similar products of their own, setting the stage for an all-new TV war. [More]
Broadcasters Want To Fast-Forward To Supreme Court Decision On Aereo
By 10.9.13
When the broadcast networks first sued Aereo over allegations of copyright infringement, the TV-streaming service was only available in the New York City area. In the short time since, it has expanded to Boston, Miami, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, and Salt Lake City, with plans to add around 20 more markets in the coming months. In a move that seems intended to preempt this growth, the networks are reportedly asking for their case to get Supreme Court attention ASAP. [More]
Time Warner Cable Says Customers Left Because Of Blackout; CBS Unaffected
By 9.12.13
In news that will hopefully sour cable companies’ view of blackouts as a viable negotiation tool, Time Warner Cable has admitted that its pointless, month-long standoff with CBS ended up costing it customers. Meanwhile, the network came out of the dust-up unscathed. [More]
Proposed Law Aims To Curb TV Blackouts, Let You Choose To Pay For Broadcast Channels
By 9.9.13
In the wake of the month-long blackout that affected 3 million CBS viewers in several major cities and Showtime subscribers nationwide, Congresswoman Anna Eshoo of California has drafted legislation that would give the Federal Communications Commission the authority to prevent blackouts, and give consumers the right to decide whether or not they want to pay for watching broadcast networks on cable. [More]
So What Was The Point Of The Whole Time Warner Cable, CBS Blackout?
By 9.3.13
When Time Warner Cable pulled CBS from subscribers in L.A., NYC, Dallas, and others on Aug. 2, everyone knew it was inevitable the cable company would cave and make a deal with the broadcaster resulting in it paying higher fees — and subscribers paying higher rates. So was there any point to the month-long staring contest? [More]
Time Warner Cable, CBS Get In Holiday Spirit, End Blackouts In NYC, L.A., Dallas
By 9.2.13 — Updated: 10.21.16
With the fall broadcast season cresting on the horizon and only a few days to go before the start of the NFL season, Time Warner Cable and CBS have ended their standoff that had resulted in a month of no CBS for 3 million Time Warner Cable customers in L.A., New York, Dallas, and other areas, along with a nationwide Time Warner Cable blackout for Showtime and The Movie Channel. [More]
Will Football Finally Bring An End To Time Warner Cable/CBS Standoff?
By 8.29.13 — Updated: 8.30.13
For 3 million Time Warner Cable customers in New York City, L.A., Dallas, and a few other pockets around the country, it’s been almost four weeks since the cable company pulled CBS and Showtime from its lineup over the latest stupid fee dispute. The final season of Dexter wasn’t enough to end the standoff, and it seems like people stopped caring about what was going on Under the Dome several weeks ago. But could the NFL season put enough pressure on the two parties to finally play nice and end this nonsense? [More]
Time Warner Cable Hands Out Free Antennas In Markets Without CBS: That Solves Everything
By 8.26.13
Sure, Time Warner Cable customers in major markets including New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas have to spend this summer without reruns of “Undercover Boss” and that show with the people trapped inside a mystery dome. The company has an answer for that, though: no, not an amicable agreement with CBS. They’re handing out free indoor rabbit ears while supplies last, or $20 antenna vouchers in these markets. [More]
Time Warner Cable, CBS Will Briefly Cease Fire To Air NYC Political Debates
By 8.22.13
If you’re a Time Warner Cable customer in NYC, don’t get all happy if you turn on CBS tonight and see actual TV on your screen, as it won’t last long. The cable company and the broadcaster have called a brief truce so that tonight’s NYC political debate can be seen on the local CBS affiliate. [More]
Verizon FiOS Tries To Win Over Blacked-Out CBS Employees
By 8.20.13
Millions of Time Warner Cable customers have now gone more than two weeks without knowing which attention-starved individuals got kicked out of the Big Brother house or if the people of Chester’s Mill ever got out from under the dome (Spoiler: Maybe). Many employees of CBS have been unable to watch the shows they air if they have TWC as their cable provider (which in NYC, Dallas, and L.A. is highly likely), so Verizon is trying to reach out to them and lure them over to FiOS. [More]
Time Warner Cable Customers Sue Over CBS Blackout
By 8.16.13
It’s two weeks into the Time Warner Cable vs. CBS staring contest and millions of TV viewers around the country still have no access to the network or its premium counterpart Showtime. That means it’s apparently time to call in the lawyers. [More]
FCC Will “Consider Appropriate Action” If CBS Blackout Continues, But Does That Mean Anything?
By 8.9.13
While it could (and probably does) mean absolutely nothing, the acting Chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission did something her predecessors have rarely done — expressed an opinion on, and hinted at possible intervention in, the ongoing war of words and numbers between Time Warner Cable and CBS. [More]
Time Warner Cable, CBS Still Fighting; Customers Wait For Inevitable Rate Hike
By 8.8.13
Six full days into Time Warner Cable’s blackout of CBS in several major markets and Showtime nationwide and neither side is willing to admit that all this screaming and yelling is really just hurting the customers, who are hiding in the bedroom with their ear against the door waiting for it all to end. [More]
