Comments on: Paid vs. Free Entertainment: A Case Study http://www.teleread.com/library/pay-vs-free-entertainment-a-case-study/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Thu, 23 May 2013 16:09:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Jon Jermey http://www.teleread.com/library/pay-vs-free-entertainment-a-case-study/comment-page-1/#comment-1242708 Jon Jermey Thu, 21 Feb 2013 07:29:37 +0000 http://www.teleread.com/?p=79359#comment-1242708 Somebody pointed out a long time ago that the telecommunications companies could actually make more money by taking over the music and entertainment business and making everything available over the Internet for free; the revenue from increased bandwidth charges would more than make up for the cost. I don't know if the economics would still add up -- or even if they really did add up then -- but it's an intriguing idea. Somebody pointed out a long time ago that the telecommunications companies could actually make more money by taking over the music and entertainment business and making everything available over the Internet for free; the revenue from increased bandwidth charges would more than make up for the cost. I don’t know if the economics would still add up — or even if they really did add up then — but it’s an intriguing idea.

]]> By: Rob Preece http://www.teleread.com/library/pay-vs-free-entertainment-a-case-study/comment-page-1/#comment-1242592 Rob Preece Wed, 20 Feb 2013 22:44:34 +0000 http://www.teleread.com/?p=79359#comment-1242592 "Free" is sort of a technical term here. Your news is free... except if you need to subscribe to cable to get it. Your cable company pays Fox (or CNN or whatever) for your right to use it. Same with music... sometimes it's free and sometimes it's paid. Just because you don't have a meter running doesn't mean that you're not paying for it... as part of a bundle you're buying. Sure there's a lot of advertiser supported stuff out there but am I the only one who's stopped watching much broadcast TV because the ads have gotten overwhelming? As far as books go, I'd just as soon not worry about product placement, obtrusive pre-rolls or sponsored page flips. Even if books were a good medium for advertising, I think advertising dollars would decrease availability of books because advertising dollars would concentrate on best-sellers. I guess I've never understood how we were supposed to get everything free paid for by advertising (what, exactly would they advertise if everything was free?). “Free” is sort of a technical term here. Your news is free… except if you need to subscribe to cable to get it. Your cable company pays Fox (or CNN or whatever) for your right to use it. Same with music… sometimes it’s free and sometimes it’s paid. Just because you don’t have a meter running doesn’t mean that you’re not paying for it… as part of a bundle you’re buying. Sure there’s a lot of advertiser supported stuff out there but am I the only one who’s stopped watching much broadcast TV because the ads have gotten overwhelming?

As far as books go, I’d just as soon not worry about product placement, obtrusive pre-rolls or sponsored page flips. Even if books were a good medium for advertising, I think advertising dollars would decrease availability of books because advertising dollars would concentrate on best-sellers. I guess I’ve never understood how we were supposed to get everything free paid for by advertising (what, exactly would they advertise if everything was free?).

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