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Cable TV Franchise Says No To DSL Ads
Sloppy writes "The Albuquerque Tribune reports that Comcast, who has cable TV franchise agreements with many city governments, refuses to run ads for competing internet service providers. I guess that's something that citizens need to remind their local governments to correct the next time the monopoly terms are negotiated .. fourteen years from now."
In my area, Comcast just bought out AT&T cable. AT&T was in the habit of refusing to run advertisements for dish systems on the cable channels (you'll still see those ads on the local broadcast channels). Why should they have to advertise their competitors? Adversiting is not a right, its a service. Don't like it? Start your own cable network (where I live in tacoma, they did, Click Network.)
I don't really mind double posts on
The cable company has been given a monopoly on the use of the cable television infrastructure. In exchange for that monopoly, they have to behave to a higher standard.
No, they're refusing to let their service be used to aid their competition
Their competition in another market. This is precisely what MicroSoft was found guilty of (using a monopoly in one market to unduly influence another market). Nobody argued that this should be allowed. Hell, even MicroSoft didn't argue this (they argued that they didn't have the underlying monopoly).
Comcast is not the only way you can advertise; it is likely the only way you can advertise on television. You can't exchange five newspaper ads and three radio spots for a 30 second TV ad; each of these hits different markets.
Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. -John Lennon
--make it a federal case, literally. Have a "minority" from the dsl service try to get the ad. If they refuse then, have the firm of dewey, cheatham and howe send them a letter. Most places will do anything to avoid getting a discrimination lawsuit. Don't emphasize the service you are trying to advertise,emphasize the person doing the asking if they refuse, then shop it to some law firms and local minority activism center. They love that stuff. Might even help if the local activism center was using this dsl service already-maybe, not sure on that one. It's a tightwire to walk though, going out of your way to FIND a lawsuit is quite risky. Weight the odds on it.
Point two, screw 'em! Why would you want to beneift a monopoly company? If they sell ads, they "make money" off the ads. I say don't go there. Give your advertising money to talk radio instead,(especially independent, mom and pop stations, not clearchannel if possible, etc) the local alternative press newspaper, webcasters, make up a buhzillion flyers and hire some young folks to spread em out.
Anyway, talk radio has a better cost/benefit ratio in most markets, especially target placement, study the shows, the hosts, the times. Obviously rush hour shows are usually the most expensive, but cover the widest range demographically..
I mean seriously, would you give a ride to a guy who's on his way to date your girlfriend?
If you're driving a city bus at the time, you damn well better. That's closer to the situation here. The cable companies are in control of a public trust thus have to abide by some stricter rules than some random schmoo yelling from him dorm room.
jello.
aka aron.
Time Warner Cable does it too. I don't see any commercials for DSL, they also cut out the EarthLink commercials (can't tell whether those are advertising dialup or broadband) and replace them with RoadRunner commercials.