Skip to main content

FCC Acknowledges A-la-carte Cable Savings

USA Today reports that consumers could shave as much as 13 percent off their cable TV bills if they were allowed to buy channels individually, a new report from the Federal Communications Commission concludes.

The FCC's finding that people would benefit from an "a la carte" system undercuts a bedrock principle of the cable industry � that big bundles of channels deliver the best value for consumers. Programmers have long refused to sell their channels a la carte, saying it would erode their subscription fees and ad revenue.

But cable TV bills keep rising 2 to 6 percent annually. That rise is due, in large part, to programming costs. The FCC's report, prepared at the behest of Chairman Kevin Martin, reversed a 2004 FCC report released under the prior chairman, Michael Powell. The Powell report had affirmed the industry's claim that a la carte programming would mean less choice and higher prices for viewers.

In other matters at the FCC -- it is rumored that the Commissioners have now agreed to formally acknowledge that the planet earth is in fact "round," which is also in contrast to the findings of a prior FCC chairman (they don't recall which one). As a result, the "flat-earth" lobby is apparently already considering their next move.

Popular posts from this blog

Open Banking Usage to Grow by 470 Percent

The Open Banking business model has been advantageous for Third-Party Providers (TPPs), helping them to extend their offerings into other areas of financial services with new capabilities. Open Banking is also advantageous for traditional banking institutions, despite the perceived loss of custodianship over their data, by providing greater accessibility to more bank services. Furthermore, Open Banking can help serve Mobile Internet providers that are able to leverage it to create tailored services according to customers’ preferences and/or economic limitations. Open Banking Market Development Since traditional banking services are made more convenient by TPPs via greater data access, customers can proactively manage their finances and shape the development of new financial offerings. This is particularly noticeable in the realm of Digital Payments, where retail merchants and customers transact through eCommerce, which has the greatest number of use cases for Open Banking. These includ

Global Digital Business and IT Consulting Outlook

Across the globe, CEOs and their leadership teams continue to seek information and guidance about planned Digital Transformation initiatives and the most effective enterprise organization change management practices. Worldwide IT and Business Services revenue will grow from $1.13 trillion in 2022 to $1.2 trillion in 2023 -- that's a 5.7 percent year-over-year growth, according to the latest market study by International Data Corporation (IDC). The mid-term to long-term outlook for the market has also increased -- the five-year CAGR is forecast at 5.2 percent, compared to the previous 4.9 percent. Digital Sevices & Consulting Market Development IDC has raised the growth projection despite a weak economic outlook, because of vendor performances across 2022, growth indicators from adjacent markets, increased government funding, and inflation impacts. The actual 2022 market growth was 6.7 percent (in constant currency), which was 87 basis points higher than forecast last year, alth

Mobile Device Market Still Awaiting Recovery

The mobile devices market has experienced three years of unpredictable demand. The global pandemic, geopolitical pressures, supply chain issues, and macroeconomic headwinds have hindered the sector's consistent growth potential. This extremely challenging environment has dramatically affected both demand and supply chains. It has led to subsequent inflationary pressures, leading to a worsening global cost of living crisis suppressing growth and confidence in the sector. In tandem, mobile device industry stakeholders have become more cautious triggering market uncertainties. Mobile Device Market Development Operating under such a backdrop, the development of mobile device ecosystems and vendor landscapes have been impacted severely. Many of these market pressures persisted throughout 2022 and now into 2023, borne chiefly by the smartphone market. According to the latest worldwide market study by ABI Research, worldwide smartphone shipments in 2022 declined 9.6 percent Year-over-Year