Comments on: Hollywood Hates Your TiVo

By: Gary H

Gary H — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:53:00 +0000

Why didn't Hollywood hate your VCR? People have been time shifting and fast-forwarding commercials for a very long time. The difference is that studios made money from selling movies to consumers, so they had a financial interest in getting VCRs into every house. DVRs don't allow studios to sell you movies. They don't make money off them, that's why they call it stealing.

With the amount of money made from DVD sales, you wonder why they care about DVRs. I watch more TV shows on DVD than I do on my Tivo, but I don't hear them complaining about Netflix. As a consumer I watch what I want, when I want - not on some bogus broadcast schedule.

Studios are just trying to make up for their mistakes in not embracing technology 10 years ago. They could have made billions, but were too worried about people stealing. Morons.

By: Nick

Nick — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:53:00 +0000

This just reminded me of an article about net neutrality I read in the newspaper this morning (http://www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20080331/CPARTS/803310549) where they were refering to a recent speach from the MPAA (http://www.mpaa.org/press_releases/press%20release%20showest%20keynote%203-11-08.pdf) trying to push against net neutrality.

By: Bill G

Bill G — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:36:00 +0000

Thomas,
You and others need to stop using "TiVo" as the "Kleenex" to refer to the general category of DVRs.
TiVo is barely selling any hardware at this point, only about 35,000 units a month.
Generic DVRs are being deployed at a rate of about 500,000 a month.
There are only about 4 million [and shrinking] TiVo branded boxes in use.
There are over 20 million generic DVRs in the US.

By: Hitesh Sawlani

Hitesh Sawlani — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:56:00 +0000

That episode of Cheers isn't free! Increasingly costs are rising of actors, special effects etc.. and someone has to pay for it. (During the last season of Friends, each actor charged more than $1m per ep.!)

Are TV studios making lots of money? Yes. But it's a business after all, so you can't blame them for trying.

However, as it makes consumers unhappy (and at the lack of direct placements - youtube isnt a direct replacement to high quality shows), companies like Tivo will keep trying to question the status quo which on its own will not defeat things like annoying commercials but will have to be accompanied with support from regulatory bodies and consumer groups with some form of lobbying influence.

And Tivo is as marketing driven as any other company. Advertising is only a component marketing, essentially marketing driven is about meeting (and exceeding) your customers needs - which Tivo is successfully doing. If other companies through their advertising are not meeting your needs and instead are annoying you they are less market driven than you'd think.

Interesting post non the less.

By: Tomahawk (no relation)

Tomahawk (no relation) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:49:00 +0000

A tax is a tax, be it money or time, when it gets too high (30%)we will find ways to avoid them.
GO TIVO

By: Brent Evans

Brent Evans — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 10:45:00 +0000

Very well said Thomas. The networks will find a way to get the commerce into the shows and adapt to time-shifting, but them saying it is stealing to avoid commercials is just beyond silly.

We save time and avoid the over-commercialization of television to some extent by skipping commercials. That is technology for the good in my opinion.

By: TranceMist

TranceMist — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 10:29:00 +0000

Good.

Like the RIAA and the MPAA, they need a good stiff kick in the ass.

If they liked it, we wouldn't.