Is MLB striking out on placeshifting content?
Major League Baseball is trying bat Sling Media around according to CNET. The claim is that viewing content on multiple devices should require paying for that content multiple times. Sling Media's Slingbox allows you place-shift television content from your TV to any single computing device, which gives consumers the ability to watch their content from wherever they are; i.e. on whatever device they're at.
Art Brodsky from an Internet-watchdog group asks, "What difference does it make to MLB whether I'm watching the game at home or someplace else?" he asked. "We're talking about content that's been paid for. Nobody has stolen anything."
Here's my analogy question since the MLB feels that I should pay again if I watch their content from a different location: if I pay $50 for seat 3 in aisle GG at a stadium but then move over to empty seat 2 for a better view of the game, should I pay another $50? Maybe not the best analogy, but....
Place-shifting is concept that will only gain momentum over time; it would be wise for content providers to find ways to embrace it, not condemn it. I'm sure we've got some of you "place-shifters" out there, so care to share a thought? If you have two thoughts, we won't charge you twice. ;)
-kct
here is my 4 cents. why is it wrong to place shift? i mean i'm not going to speed home on the freeway just to get to my nagging wife and be distracted from the game. why not just watch it in the car via slingmedia mobile?
paying twice! ha
Posted by: rick | June 07, 2006 at 12:58 PM
wait i know why mlb has an issue with slingbox because they just launched mlb.tv where you can watch anygame online.
they want u to sign up for mlb.tv online and to not just install your slingbox and watch your game on your computer at work or on your phone.
Posted by: rick | June 07, 2006 at 01:01 PM
They want, of course, to be able to charge you "more." Doesn't matter what you consider fair. They want "more" revenue from you.
Remember that this is the organization that was also trying to force fantasy leagues to pay them for using their stats. You would think they would love the fan base that fantasy baseball attracts rather than alienate them.
Posted by: BobR | June 07, 2006 at 07:32 PM
The movie industry made similar arguments when the VCR was introduced - they claimed time-shifting (watching a TV program whenever you wanted) was an infringement on copyright and would hurt profits. It has an interesting history:
http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/B/htmlB/betamaxcase/betamaxcase.htm
Posted by: Stu Kim | June 08, 2006 at 08:58 AM