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Content companies offer support for pay-TV’s Ditch the Box STB proposal
Michelle Clancy
| 10 July 2016
Programmers and content companies have filed comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), noting that they could side with the backers of the Ditch the Box movement in a compromise proposal on reforming the set-top box (STB) industry.
stbThe US TV regulator proposed in January 2016 that it wished to open the TV STB market to new competitors. Pay-TV operators want to enable their services through apps based on open HTML5 standards, which could be implemented on a range of third-party devices, thus eliminating the need for proprietary CPE. They have said that their plan dovetails with the FCC’s goal of encouraging the proliferation of video on any device, from smartphones and tablets to laptops, game consoles, dedicated streaming devices and smart TVs. The long-term goal is to allow consumers to access multiple content providers from a single app or device – often referred to as AllVid.
Programmers said they wanted the FCC to ensure that third-party apps on STBs be given parity with pay-TV providers' own apps.
"The MVPD apps plan offers a constructive foundation for providing consumers with an alternative to leasing set-top boxes, subject to certain additional protections for programmers and the clarification of particular details," wrote executives from Time Warner, 21st Century Fox, Viacom, CBS and Scripps Networks Interactive in a filing with the US regulatory body. "Any final rules must ensure parity for programmer apps and provide programme networks with enforceable contractual rights against competitive device manufacturers and MVPDs. The companies stated that they look forward to working closely with the commission and MVPDs as the proceeding moves forward."
Meanwhile, in a separate FCC filing, the Consumer Video Choice Coalition (which includes executives from Public Knowledge, TiVo and other companies) said that the pay-TV industry's proposal "constructively demonstrates that the commission's proposed timeline for expecting major MVPDs to achieve IP-based delivery through open and interoperable standards is feasible."
Tom Wheeler, chairman of the FCC, commented that he would need to examine further “whether their proposal fully meets all of the goals of our proceeding”.
It should be noted that the pay-TV group is wary about AllVid from a competitive standpoint, as it would allow internet giants and streaming companies to deliver content on equal footing with traditional pay-TV distributors.
“AllVid would force programmers and TV providers to dismantle their shows and services for these companies to repackage, reuse, and exploit without negotiating for the rights like everybody else in the market does today,” the group said. “AllVid would not give viewers access to any new programming or content that isn't already available in their homes and would not replace or lower their existing television bills. Moreover, it would increase the equipment in consumer homes by requiring a new AllVid adapter in the home to deliver programming to a set-top box or video device purchased at retail, further escalating consumer costs.”
Content companies offer support for pay-TV’s Ditch the Box STB proposal
Michelle Clancy
| 10 July 2016
Programmers and content companies have filed comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), noting that they could side with the backers of the Ditch the Box movement in a compromise proposal on reforming the set-top box (STB) industry.
stbThe US TV regulator proposed in January 2016 that it wished to open the TV STB market to new competitors. Pay-TV operators want to enable their services through apps based on open HTML5 standards, which could be implemented on a range of third-party devices, thus eliminating the need for proprietary CPE. They have said that their plan dovetails with the FCC’s goal of encouraging the proliferation of video on any device, from smartphones and tablets to laptops, game consoles, dedicated streaming devices and smart TVs. The long-term goal is to allow consumers to access multiple content providers from a single app or device – often referred to as AllVid.
Programmers said they wanted the FCC to ensure that third-party apps on STBs be given parity with pay-TV providers' own apps.
"The MVPD apps plan offers a constructive foundation for providing consumers with an alternative to leasing set-top boxes, subject to certain additional protections for programmers and the clarification of particular details," wrote executives from Time Warner, 21st Century Fox, Viacom, CBS and Scripps Networks Interactive in a filing with the US regulatory body. "Any final rules must ensure parity for programmer apps and provide programme networks with enforceable contractual rights against competitive device manufacturers and MVPDs. The companies stated that they look forward to working closely with the commission and MVPDs as the proceeding moves forward."
Meanwhile, in a separate FCC filing, the Consumer Video Choice Coalition (which includes executives from Public Knowledge, TiVo and other companies) said that the pay-TV industry's proposal "constructively demonstrates that the commission's proposed timeline for expecting major MVPDs to achieve IP-based delivery through open and interoperable standards is feasible."
Tom Wheeler, chairman of the FCC, commented that he would need to examine further “whether their proposal fully meets all of the goals of our proceeding”.
It should be noted that the pay-TV group is wary about AllVid from a competitive standpoint, as it would allow internet giants and streaming companies to deliver content on equal footing with traditional pay-TV distributors.
“AllVid would force programmers and TV providers to dismantle their shows and services for these companies to repackage, reuse, and exploit without negotiating for the rights like everybody else in the market does today,” the group said. “AllVid would not give viewers access to any new programming or content that isn't already available in their homes and would not replace or lower their existing television bills. Moreover, it would increase the equipment in consumer homes by requiring a new AllVid adapter in the home to deliver programming to a set-top box or video device purchased at retail, further escalating consumer costs.”
