John McCain: Hero again

[The Minsky Moment]

I wonder if some niche stations would be badly hurt.

It's very hard to predict because the market is complicated - you have 3 tiers of participant (content, distribution, consumption) and complex variations of content but with some overlap. 

I do think the tendency will be for niche players to price high as a result of which there will be less quantity supplied, lower profits, but yet no real gain in consumer surplus.

[Barrister]

I wonder if some niche stations would be badly hurt.

It's very hard to predict because the market is complicated - you have 3 tiers of participant (content, distribution, consumption) and complex variations of content but with some overlap. 

I do think the tendency will be for niche players to price high as a result of which there will be less quantity supplied, lower profits, but yet no real gain in consumer surplus.

I would think the truly niche stations would be fine.  They have a market that is small, but dedicated, and likely willing to pay a big price to continue to receive that channel.

What would be in trouble would be some of the more generic channels that mostly show old re-runs.  I even watch some of those channels, but would hardly pay even $0.25 per month to keep them.

I definitely agree with Minsky that this isn't going to result in shrinking cable bills, if passed.

[alfred russel]

I would think the truly niche stations would be fine.  They have a market that is small, but dedicated, and likely willing to pay a big price to continue to receive that channel.

What would be in trouble would be some of the more generic channels that mostly show old re-runs.  I even watch some of those channels, but would hardly pay even $0.25 per month to keep them.

I definitely agree with Minsky that this isn't going to result in shrinking cable bills, if passed.

I suspect they would be hurt, otherwise they wouldn't insist on being on standard cable.

My guess is that depending on the quantity and quality of original programming, the price they can charge their fans will be limited by the ability to go to a bar to watch the games.

[Barrister]

I would think the truly niche stations would be fine.  They have a market that is small, but dedicated, and likely willing to pay a big price to continue to receive that channel.

What would be in trouble would be some of the more generic channels that mostly show old re-runs.  I even watch some of those channels, but would hardly pay even $0.25 per month to keep them.

I definitely agree with Minsky that this isn't going to result in shrinking cable bills, if passed.

I suspect they would be hurt, otherwise they wouldn't insist on being on standard cable.

My guess is that depending on the quantity and quality of original programming, the price they can charge their fans will be limited by the ability to go to a bar to watch the games.

They're fighting it because they're making guaranteed money right now.

[grumbler]

It's not.
If the market controlled, distributors would presumably continue to bundle because that is profit maximizing and they would deny the a la carte option.

If it is a market, then the distributor doesn't get to decide what you are offered.  That only happens in a monopoly.

This is coercive legislation that is forcing market participants to act other than they would in the market.

There are many examples of coercive legislation that prevents would-be monopolies from acting as they would like to.  I am no libertarian and I don't have any objection to the principle of legislating against monopolistic outcomes.  I don't think the result here is necessarily going to be what some of the supporters of the legislation think it will be, just as I don't think the result of any other legislation is going to be what some of the supporters of that legislation think it will be.  People should make informed votes.

[CountDeMoney]

— three times the rate of inflation and far outpacing the average American's paycheck.

That fact hasn't had an impact on any other policy--from healthcare costs to the minimum wage--why start mentioning it now?

All of you, suck it up and swallow your force-fed Oxygen network.

[The Minsky Moment]

If it is a market, then the distributor doesn't get to decide what you are offered.  That only happens in a monopoly.

Monopolies do arise in markets.  The two concepts are not mutually exclusive.  Far from it.
And even in a non-monopoly situation, the producer always gets to decide the terms on which it offers its services.  There are non-monopoly markets where bundling occurs.

There are many examples of coercive legislation that prevents would-be monopolies from acting as they would like to. 

Indeed there are.  Some of them benefit consumers.  Some of them don't.

[DGuller]

I think one outcome of this legislation is that many channels would go out of business, since very few people would pay anything to have them.  That's a good thing, IMO.  We have way too many channels now, and this fragmentation is hurting TV as an entertainment option on the whole.

[katmai]

All of you, suck it up and swallow your force-fed Oxygen network.

Don't get it here

[garbon]

All of you, suck it up and swallow your force-fed Oxygen network.

Why should we pay so that you can watch Oxygen?

[CountDeMoney]

Why should we pay so that you can watch Oxygen?

Because I have to pay so you can watch Logo, and Siegey can watch it when nobody's awake.

[Ed Anger]

I used the parental lock on Logo.

[katmai]

Logo

[Admiral Yi]

WTF is Logo?

[garbon]

WTF is Logo?

Gay tv station.

Actually, Seeds, I don't have cable.