Dont Trust Your Cable

Company?"> Dont Trust Your Cable Company? I dont, either—cable companies are merging at least as quickly as broadcast stations are, and our two major satellite providers, Dish Network and Direct TV, are seeking permission to merge. The possibility of entrusting our video content distribution system to even fewer players than under broadcast would be counterproductive. Id like to think that Internet technologies could evolve enough over the next several years to serve our video content needs, and do so with a sort of focus on local communities and individual tastes that is not currently possible with broadcast. Also, its likely that in the absence of broadcast television, wed see more satellite providers pop up, some perhaps with a regional focus. The U.S. government could even get involved, and auction off relatively inexpensive space for "free TV" channels. Its not as crazy as it sounds. My current satellite provider, Dish Network, streams down somewhere in the neighborhood of 700 channels from just two satellites. The government maintains 24 satellites for its freely usable Global Positioning System. Its your spectrum. How do you want to see it used? Drop me a line at jason_brooks@ziffdavis.com.