[mythtv-users] Supporting schedulesdirect.org

[Braindead]

On Wed, 8 Aug 2007 09:20:50 -0700
David Brodbeck <gull at gull.us> wrote:

> 
> On Aug 8, 2007, at 6:20 AM, Braindead wrote:
> > The thing that bugs me the most is that the listing data should be  
> > free to the non commercial end users.  It's in the best interest
> > of the TV stations to let you know what is on, when it's on..etc.
> > The problem is that TMS wants to treat end users the same way they  
> > treat commercial entities that make money from the listings.
> 
> Well, two things.
> 
> TMS is aggregating the data and standardizing it.  That has a cost  
> and a value, neither of which is $0.
> 
> Secondly, it's hard to make money by selling something to companies  
> and giving it to individuals.  Eventually the companies wise up and  
> say, "Hey, instead of us buying this, we'll just tell our users to
> go get it for free."  I suspect this was what torpedoed Data Direct.
> 
> TMS is a middleman, and no one really likes middlemen.  But getting  
> rid of them means convincing a lot of people on both ends of the  
> transaction to do more work, and that's not an easy task.

I think the broadcasters who make the money should be paying TMS to collect and distribute their data.  The current situation is only in place because the market (the people) are willing to pay for it.  I have no problem with that, I'm just pointing out that there is a lot of money made by broadcasters and then they make more money off people paying for the privilege to know what crummy show is on their channel.

This is just my perspective.