"It would be nice if TiVo could generate enough revenue from this that it would be in their interest to lower or eliminate monthly fees, in order to expand their sample base. More likely, they will just keep all the marbles."
Do you understand how magazines and newspapers make money? It's selling advertising, not selling subscriptions; they lose money on subscriptions. They keep subscription rates low because they need the bigger audience to get better ad rates. If TiVo ever gets to the point where they can survive on advertising money, they would not keep the subscriptions rates high if lowering them would get them more viewers, and thus, more ad money.
What kills me are the people who think TiVo only exists to allow them to skip ads. That is the least of TiVo's charms. Being able to timeshift effortlessly is what TiVo is all about. Watch what you want when you want, with minimal effort on your part. Ad skipping is simply a byproduct of timeshifting; it isn't TiVo's raison d'etre.
If TiVo's ad strategy means my favorite shows don't get cancelled, great! All you ad skipping TiVo-haters who freak out at the idea of TiVo knowing what you (not you specifically; you in general) watch on TV are cutting off your nose to spite your face. We TiVoites will start to see our favorite shows stick around longer while your favs get the ax because no one knows you are watching them.
Also, ads suck, because they are poorly produced and not properly targeted at people who actually want to see them. If TiVo can encourage ad agencies to produce better ads advertising things I might actually want to buy, ie, if they produce ads I might actually want to watch, then more power to TiVo.
Viva the TiVo intelligent advertising revolution. Down with the self-defeating anti-advertising Luddites.
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"It would be nice if TiVo could generate enough revenue from this that it would be in their interest to lower or eliminate monthly fees, in order to expand their sample base. More likely, they will just keep all the marbles."
Do you understand how magazines and newspapers make money? It's selling advertising, not selling subscriptions; they lose money on subscriptions. They keep subscription rates low because they need the bigger audience to get better ad rates. If TiVo ever gets to the point where they can survive on advertising money, they would not keep the subscriptions rates high if lowering them would get them more viewers, and thus, more ad money.
What kills me are the people who think TiVo only exists to allow them to skip ads. That is the least of TiVo's charms. Being able to timeshift effortlessly is what TiVo is all about. Watch what you want when you want, with minimal effort on your part. Ad skipping is simply a byproduct of timeshifting; it isn't TiVo's raison d'etre.
If TiVo's ad strategy means my favorite shows don't get cancelled, great! All you ad skipping TiVo-haters who freak out at the idea of TiVo knowing what you (not you specifically; you in general) watch on TV are cutting off your nose to spite your face. We TiVoites will start to see our favorite shows stick around longer while your favs get the ax because no one knows you are watching them.
Also, ads suck, because they are poorly produced and not properly targeted at people who actually want to see them. If TiVo can encourage ad agencies to produce better ads advertising things I might actually want to buy, ie, if they produce ads I might actually want to watch, then more power to TiVo.
Viva the TiVo intelligent advertising revolution. Down with the self-defeating anti-advertising Luddites.