[IP] CABLE MARKET POWER FOR DUMMIES
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [Dewayne-Net] CABLE MARKET POWER FOR DUMMIES
Date: Fri, 03 Feb 2006 09:26:51 -0800
From: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Reply-To: dewayne@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
To: Dewayne-Net Technology List <dewayne-net@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
CABLE MARKET POWER FOR DUMMIES
[SOURCE: Tales from the Sausage Factory, AUTHOR: Harold Feld]
[Commentary] Most folks outside of Washington DC still find their
cable company an obnoxious monopoly, despite the presence of
competitors like DirecTV, Dish Network, and the occasional
overbuilder like RCN. But, despite the fact that customers express
far more satisfaction with satellite and overbuilder service, most
folks remain subscribed to cable. What gives? And how does cable get
away with raising prices and favoring affiliated programming in the
face of this “vigorous competition.” Needless to say, the cable folks
respond with a host of fancy economic papers that they file with the
FCC and present to members of Congress. My own impression, having
spoken with a number of economists, is that the cable companies use
economics the same way Creationists use intelligent design. The point
isn't to engage in real scientific inquiry. The point is to throw
enough scientific sounding stuff out there to confuse the issue and
make people believe there are two equally valid sides to the debate.
My problem is that the FCC and Congress usually end up playing the
Dover School District Board rather than Judge Jones.
<http://www.wetmachine.com//item/422>
Weblog at: <http://weblog.warpspeed.com>
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