This (Hulu) is junk! It's just cable/satelite via a different medium. You still pay through the nose for channels you don't want!!! I want to pick and choose my channels!
Apple is monitoring? Why is this a news story? And what exactly are they monitoring? Anyone who thinks Apple should spend billions on a old media conglomerate is a nut. I want Apple to be the platform for all content. Wouldn't owning a content company make it more difficult to do deals with other content providers? Apple should be a neutral platform.
I think perhaps Apple's monitoring is waiting to see what AT&T was going to bid - $85B so Apple can swoop in at the last minute and bid higher.
So you think Apple should bid on this? That is really getting away from Apple's core competencies.
Buying a "content provider" is a proven route to disaster, e.g., Sony and MGM.
The entertainment biz is poison, and it doesn't make people's lives better, it makes them worse. The more the masses are diverted by thrills, the less they know history, or even what's going on in the present.
I would hate to see Apple making money on stupifying people. And as you say, core competency — tech artists don't have the perverse money-grubbing instincts that's fueled Hollywood and the TV business for a couple of generations, if not from the very beginning.
"The entertainment biz is poison, and it doesn't make people's lives better, it makes them worse. The more the masses are diverted by thrills, the less they know history, or even what's going on in the present."
Totally agree with this point. But there was a genius by the name of Steve Jobs who made an equally valid point:
“When you’re young, you look at television and think, There’s a conspiracy. The networks have conspired to dumb us down. But when you get a little older, you realize that’s not true. The networks are in business to give people exactly what they want. That’s a far more depressing thought. Conspiracy is optimistic! You can shoot the bastards! We can have a revolution! But the networks are really in business to give people what they want. It’s the truth.”
Apple is monitoring? Why is this a news story? And what exactly are they monitoring? Anyone who thinks Apple should spend billions on a old media conglomerate is a nut. I want Apple to be the platform for all content. Wouldn't owning a content company make it more difficult to do deals with other content providers? Apple should be a neutral platform.
Depends on your aspirations or ambition. This is one theory:
Apple is monitoring? Why is this a news story? And what exactly are they monitoring? Anyone who thinks Apple should spend billions on a old media conglomerate is a nut. I want Apple to be the platform for all content. Wouldn't owning a content company make it more difficult to do deals with other content providers? Apple should be a neutral platform.
I think perhaps Apple's monitoring is waiting to see what AT&T was going to bid - $85B so Apple can swoop in at the last minute and bid higher.
So you think Apple should bid on this? That is really getting away from Apple's core competencies.
Buying a "content provider" is a proven route to disaster, e.g., Sony and MGM.
The entertainment biz is poison, and it doesn't make people's lives better, it makes them worse. The more the masses are diverted by thrills, the less they know history, or even what's going on in the present.
I would hate to see Apple making money on stupifying people. And as you say, core competency — tech artists don't have the perverse money-grubbing instincts that's fueled Hollywood and the TV business for a couple of generations, if not from the very beginning.
"The entertainment biz is poison, and it doesn't make people's lives better, it makes them worse. The more the masses are diverted by thrills, the less they know history, or even what's going on in the present."
Totally agree with this point. But there was a genius by the name of Steve Jobs who made an equally valid point:
“When you’re young, you look at television and think, There’s a conspiracy. The networks have conspired to dumb us down. But when you get a little older, you realize that’s not true. The networks are in business to give people exactly what they want. That’s a far more depressing thought. Conspiracy is optimistic! You can shoot the bastards! We can have a revolution! But the networks are really in business to give people what they want. It’s the truth.”
A good observation. I wouldn't argue with his main point about what people want. But they also want sugared water like Pepsi, so you can build a huge industry making people fat and diabetic, giving them what they want.
So my point would be the same as Steve's point to Sculley — we got better things to do than make money off poisoning people, things like changing the world. If Apple buys into the bread and circuses trade in these particular times, it would be like joining Nero in fiddling while Rome burns.
I heard Apple is looking to buy both the Weather Channel and Accuweather to be sure that it will be sunny and warm on events days and whenever a new product debuts.
Apple is monitoring? Why is this a news story? And what exactly are they monitoring? Anyone who thinks Apple should spend billions on a old media conglomerate is a nut. I want Apple to be the platform for all content. Wouldn't owning a content company make it more difficult to do deals with other content providers? Apple should be a neutral platform.
I think perhaps Apple's monitoring is waiting to see what AT&T was going to bid - $85B so Apple can swoop in at the last minute and bid higher.
So you think Apple should bid on this? That is really getting away from Apple's core competencies.
Buying a "content provider" is a proven route to disaster, e.g., Sony and MGM.
The entertainment biz is poison, and it doesn't make people's lives better, it makes them worse. The more the masses are diverted by thrills, the less they know history, or even what's going on in the present.
I would hate to see Apple making money on stupifying people. And as you say, core competency — tech artists don't have the perverse money-grubbing instincts that's fueled Hollywood and the TV business for a couple of generations, if not from the very beginning.
"The entertainment biz is poison, and it doesn't make people's lives better, it makes them worse. The more the masses are diverted by thrills, the less they know history, or even what's going on in the present."
Totally agree with this point. But there was a genius by the name of Steve Jobs who made an equally valid point:
“When you’re young, you look at television and think, There’s a conspiracy. The networks have conspired to dumb us down. But when you get a little older, you realize that’s not true. The networks are in business to give people exactly what they want. That’s a far more depressing thought. Conspiracy is optimistic! You can shoot the bastards! We can have a revolution! But the networks are really in business to give people what they want. It’s the truth.”
That is pure bullshit. The networks are in business to give you as little as they want and take as much money from you as possible. (Same as insurance companies.)
Who wants to use and pay for STBs? Who wants to pay for a gazillion channels that they never watch? Who wants limited choices in cable companies?
All that is changing and the networks and cable companies are fighting it tooth and nails.
The entire PC industry has been hamstrung for 20 years by the distribution channels refusing to support it. That is illustrated by the slow speeds of the U.S. internet system, it is some of the slowest in the world because they want to maintain their cable distribution of visual entertainment. And, they do not want to be threatened by a company like Apple using the internet to break their control over cable distribution of entertainment.
With this merger, AT&T is attempting to create end-to-end control of production and distribution of visual entertainment. No wonder Apple is "Monitoring" the situation.
{ INSERT COMPANY NAME } monitoring AT&T's potential merger.
crying inside
It looks like Apple already made an offer but AT&T may have a better offer that it cannot handle.
Apple is now monitoring to see if it can sweeten and close the deal.
Last thing Apple needs is a major acquisition distraction. According to this story the talks never went anywhere. I have my doubts Apple was ever serious about spending $100B to acquire an old media company.
{ INSERT COMPANY NAME } monitoring AT&T's potential merger.
crying inside
It looks like Apple already made an offer but AT&T may have a better offer that it cannot handle.
Apple is now monitoring to see if it can sweeten and close the deal.
Last thing Apple needs is a major acquisition distraction. According to this story the talks never went anywhere. I have my doubts Apple was ever serious about spending $100B to acquire an old media company.
Old media company in a dying ecosystem. New generation does not watch TV, but uses video for self-expression and communication.
Comments
Totally agree with this point. But there was a genius by the name of Steve Jobs who made an equally valid point:
“When you’re young, you look at television and think, There’s a
conspiracy. The networks have conspired to dumb us down. But
when you get a little older, you realize that’s not true. The networks
are in business to give people exactly what they want. That’s a far
more depressing thought. Conspiracy is optimistic! You can shoot
the bastards! We can have a revolution! But the networks are really
in business to give people what they want. It’s the truth.”
So my point would be the same as Steve's point to Sculley — we got better things to do than make money off poisoning people, things like changing the world. If Apple buys into the bread and circuses trade in these particular times, it would be like joining Nero in fiddling while Rome burns.
The networks are in business to give you as little as they want and take as much money from you as possible. (Same as insurance companies.)
Who wants to use and pay for STBs?
Who wants to pay for a gazillion channels that they never watch?
Who wants limited choices in cable companies?
All that is changing and the networks and cable companies are fighting it tooth and nails.
With this merger, AT&T is attempting to create end-to-end control of production and distribution of visual entertainment. No wonder Apple is "Monitoring" the situation.
Apple is now monitoring to see if it can sweeten and close the deal.
Canned content is so 20th century.