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Turner CEO: "PVR Users Are Thieves"
mrbrown1602 writes: "It was bound to happen - 2600.com is reporting that Turner Broadcasting CEO Jamie Kellner is calling PVR users thieves. When asked why personal video recorders are bad for the industry, Keller says 'Because of the ad skips.... It's theft. Your contract with the network when you get the show is you're going to watch the spots. Otherwise you couldn't get the show on an ad-supported basis. Any time you skip a commercial or watch the button you're actually stealing the programming.' Since when have we made contracts with the broadcasters for watching their content? More of the 2600 article can be found here."
Last time I checked, broadcasters are using spectrum free of charge. When a broadcaster transmits a commercial there is no quid pro quo that we'll watch it. This is why men have perfected the art of channel surfing.
This entire issue is another example of business models failing as technology progresses. They should wake up and create new business models to complement the technology rather than stifle innovation.
Is closing your eyes or going for a pee allowed?
People advertise on TV because people watch the ads. If people find clever ways of removing ads and never watch them, the advertisers would soon realise. TV would see less/no ads, and we would no longer have "free" tv.
We signed no contracts, as was said. Let the advertisers advertise on TV. If they think it doesn't reach an audience, let them stop paying the tv stations. This issue will sort itself out if left to run it's own natural course.
Just Stop Watching. Stop paying for Cable. Don't give them so much leverage by being one of their lemmings...