Page 3 - DIGICEL 12 MAART 2016
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TECHNOLOGY A23
Saturday 12 March 2016
What’s in the (cable) box? Possibly the future of television
TALI ARBEL on a Senate subcommittee This Wednesday, May 30, 2007, file photo shows a cable box on says Alan Wolk, an analyst
AP Technology Writer that oversees technolo- top of a television in Philadelphia. with the Diffusion Group,
NEW YORK (AP) — It’s hard gyand communications, a TV and media research
to get excited about a found that the average Associated Press firm.
cable box. It’s basically a household spends about Cable companies al-
boring oblong you put on a $231 a year on box rental you could stick in TVs or BENEFITS FOR VIEWERS ready have apps that let
shelf near your TV and nev- fees. Although some boxes boxes sold by others, like With a device like an Apple you watch TV on phones
er think of again unless your can integrate Netflix, most TiVo, to negate the need TV, you could, theoretical- and tablets, and newer
cable service goes out. people need a separate for a cable box. ly, get all your video in one Internet-only offerings de-
But it’s at the center of device to watch online But cable companies ini- place: live cable chan- liver channels through a
a battle pitting technol- video. tially had to install them nels, Netflix, HBO’s app, streaming-TV gadget rath-
ogy companies and the ___ for customers and had no YouTube. And the device er than a set-top box.
government against the TV WHAT DOES THE GOVERN- incentive to make sure would keep working even ___
industry. The Federal Com- MENT WANT TO DO? they were easy to get and if you switched, say, from WHY ARE CABLE AND EN-
munications Commission The FCC wants to give activate, says John Berg- cable to satellite TV. TERTAINMENT COMPANIES
wants to let you buy your you more options for buy- mayer, an attorney at the You could also see better RESISTING?
own cable box in hopes ing boxes and using differ- public-interest group Pub- search capabilities. New Besides losing fees from
of saving you money and ent TV-watching software, lic Knowledge, which sup- gadgets might let you do renting boxes, the cable in-
getting you new features. much the way you can cur- ports the government’s a single search for both TV dustry doesn’t want some
The cable industry worries rently buy your own phone cable-box initiative. channels and online servic- intermediary in charge of
about losing the power to or modem. A cable-industry vision from es, which could help you video its customers get. For
frame how you get your The tech companies and 2008, dubbed tru2way, find niche online video that example, a box designed
video — and with it, billions regulators arrayed behind also failed. The cable in- cable companies don’t by Apple might make it just
of dollars in revenue. Some this effort claim you’ll see dustry designed software carry. TiVo already offers as easy to get video from
in Hollywood also worry lower prices, more choic- for TVs that let them de- such a feature, but you still Netflix,
about losing advertising es and technological ad- liver cable without a box. need a CableCard or a such that customers might
dollars. vances as a result. But the technology didn’t box from a cable compa- question the need to pay
Here’s what you need to The new rules would force appeal to consumer-elec- ny that has partnered with for channels or cable’s vid-
know about this dispute: TV suppliers — companies tronics companies and TiVo. eo-on-demand offerings.
___ like Comcast, DirecTV and fizzled out, Bergmayer says. Change is coming no mat- Cable companies now
WHAT’S A SET-TOP BOX? Verizon Fios — to make ___ ter what the FCC does, pay — and charge you —
Early on, cable boxes were available video and chan- billions of dollars a year to
little more than descram- nel information to outside carry these channels and
blers intended to block companies like Google, programs.
channels you hadn’t paid Apple and TiVo. They’d Cable companies also
for. Although they still serve have to provide this data worry that they wouldn’t
that purpose, they’ve in a format set by an “open be able to help customers
evolved into mini-enter- standards body,” which with technological issues
tainment centers that can the FCC says could include and that new ads could in-
record and play back pro- consumer-technology terfere with the viewing ex-
grams, handle video on makers, cable companies, perience. FCC Chairman
demand and even tempt content companies, apps Tom Wheeler has said that
you with non-TV distrac- developers and consumer- the rules would prohibit
tions. Comcast, for exam- interest groups. extra advertising, but he
ple, recently added video ___ didn’t offer details.
games. HAVE THERE BEEN EFFORTS Some TV executives wor-
Most TV subscribers today TO “UNLOCK THE BOX” BE- ry that instead of buying
lease boxes from their TV FORE? regular commercials on
service provider. A study Yes, but they didn’t work. their channels, advertisers
released last year by Sens. About 12 years ago, cable might migrate to targeted-
Edward Markey and Rich- operators rolled out Cable- ad opportunities if, say,
ard Blumenthal, Democrats Cards — high-tech cards Google builds a box.
New privacy rules expected for Internet providers
TALI ARBEL able to show you ads that Those companies are regu- rizon Fios, for example, and executive director of the
AP Technology Writer they think will appeal to lated by the Federal Trade Verizon wanted to market Center for Digital Democ-
NEW YORK (AP) — The fed- your specific interests. Commission. Verizon Wireless services to racy, in a statement.
eral government is propos- The Federal Communica- FCC officials say their rules you. But Verizon also owns Berin Szoka, the president
ing new privacy rules that tions Commission’s rules are wouldn’t “prohibit” target- a big digital ad business in of TechFreedom, a think
would make Internet ser- likely to face criticism and ed advertising from ISPs. AOL — if it wants to share tank that often criticizes
vice providers possible lawsuits from Inter- But the aim is that in many, data it collects from you telecoms regulation, says
such as cable and phone net service providers. if not most, with AOL, it needs your per- the rules are a bad idea.
companies ask your per- The rules affect only com- cases, your Internet provid- mission. “The FCC loudly denounc-
mission in some instances panies that connect you to er would have to get your Privacy watchdogs ap- es certain privacy and busi-
before using and sharing the Internet like Comcast, permission before sharing plauded the FCC’s effort. ness practices th
your data. Verizon and Sprint. your personal data with “It’s a major step forward at sound bad, despite hav-
Using customer information They do not apply to Inter- advertisers. for the U.S., which has ing little or no evidence
could help so-called ISPs net companies that have The agency says you would lagged behind other coun- that they don’t offer any
make more money from huge advertising businesses only have to opt out, a less tries when it comes to pro- consumer benefits that
targeted digital advertis- based on customer data, stringent requirement, if tecting consumer privacy should be weighed against
ing, when advertisers are like Facebook or Google. you were a customer of Ve- rights,” said Jeff Chester, potential harms.”
