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That’s the conclusion BTIG analyst Rich Greenfield reached after he noticed that “Viacom has taken the unusual step of temporarily removing key long-form programming from the web altogether.” Although he says DirecTV is making “a critical mistake” by allowing the Viacom channels to go dark, he adds that Viacom can’t selectively block Web videos from the satellite company’s customers. Public Knowledge says it’s “outraged,” with Senior Staff Attorney John Bergmayer adding that “the scale of Viacom’s overreaction is unprecedented.” Viacom says that it still has more than 4,500 long-form episodes on the Web but “temporarily slimmed down our offerings as DirecTV markets them as an alternative to having our networks.”
Here’s Greenfield’s demo of the Viacom blackout:
Related:
DirecTV And Viacom Making “Slow Progress” As Contract Talks Continue
Does Viacom Have More At Risk Than DirecTV Does In Programming Standoff?
No Deal: DirecTV Loses Viacom’s Channels As Carriage Talks Break Down
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The Viacom FB page has turned into the Viacom rage page. It’s pretty clear they are losing the public perception battle here.
So let me get this straight. Viacom’s stock is in the toilet with record loses and little to no programming of note.
Whoever is running the show over there is delusional in thinking they can off set piss poor programming by increasing their rates. If they were more focused on building a better mouse trap maybe Direct TV would agree to the rate increase. But as it stands now why would anyone pay more for less.
“why would anyone pay more for less?”
If you are a DTV customer, you will. DirectTV won’t lower their rates because they lost 20% of their programming. You will pay the same (or more) for less.
Typical Sumner crap. What an S.O.B., makes Rupert look like Little Bo Peep!!!
Although I tend to agree with networks in disputes such as these, I hope the executives at Viacom realize that young tech savvy people pirate their programs and that the broadcast industry is dying is due to stunts like this. Adapt or die. The consumer has lost patience with all sides.
Viacom is just introducing thousands to Pirate Bay.
Geniuses
My god, it’s now come to this? So petty and so childish.
And yes, I agree with you “actor”. Welcome to Bittorrents.
If they had taken the content down much earlier, and announced their intention to keep it down, at least we could credit it as a sincere attempt to address one of DirecTV’s concerns about the value of their content to an operator.
But if they are going to take it down only at the last second, and then put it back up as soon as a new agreement is reached, the maneuver comes off as pointless at best or downright bad faith at worst.
If they put it back up after the agreement, can DirecTV go back to the old rates?
Every carriage dispute hastens the demise of these business models. Nick Jr. is a staple here in the mornings for our 4 year old and what might have been a minor annoyance just pisses me off now that he’s teary eyed and perplexed.
Bring your channels back we won’t be watching them and when they are inevitably a la carte you’ve lost another household.