1 of 1- Hathaway
- Weekend Warrior
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- Posts: 260
Quick, someone get Bell a proctologist
Bell claims that even if you're paying for Netflix in the USA you are stealing. To quote Mr Spock, "fascinating". I guess we better call the dictionary people & change the definition of theft.
This arrogant, over the top mentality seems to be the new norm for certain large, public businesses in Canada. The shareholder, not the customer, is priority one. Further, exactly why does Bell give a shit what happens with Netflix? Netflix is a successful & growing company. They don't seem to care about this issue. Perhaps Bell should focus on improving their products instead of whining to the media.
But perhaps the real answer is royalties. Bell uses public airwaves owned by the citizens. If oil, mining, gas, etc pays royalties to use public resources, why not Bell? You want to broadcast on FM radio, you pay a royalty to the government. Plain and simple.
Further, Bell had it's network breached last year by the NullCrew, a hacktivist organization affiliated with Anonymous. The vulnerability was found by a 15 year old kid in Canada & the attack was executed by a young American male. They used a SQL injection attack to gain access & dump account information. Perhaps there needs to be a law that allows for a lawsuit against firms that fail to properly secure their data. Link
Last edited by Hathaway (June 4, 2015 8:23 AM)
- aflem
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Re: Quick, someone get Bell a proctologist
Mike Stafford did an entire hour on this Thursday morning and - surprise! - no one took big bad Bell's side. The most commonly used expression of that 60 minute call-in was to tell the Bell exec to "piss up a rope." It would be akin to the Mafia complaining about how terrible other organized crime families are.
- Hathaway
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Re: Quick, someone get Bell a proctologist
This type of behaviour is why the average citizen gives "zero fucks" to any claims of piracy or failing media.
You see, a long time ago, people stole things online. The industry went ape shit & said it's very existence was at risk for not paying for their product. So, a system THEY devised (streaming) came about & people now happily pay for products they want to see. Only that's not enough. People are paying for the product BUT it's not under the conditions Bell wants.
Netflix is good for the film/media industry. It gives indie producers a chance to have a whole world of viewers. Fringe programs, documentaries, etc, now have a portal. Further, there are now programs (House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, etc) being created & finding an audience. An audience they likely wouldn't find on any Bell properties.
No one cares Bell only you're so self absorbed you don't get it.
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Thread Starter- Dan Joseph
- Straight Outta School
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Re: Quick, someone get Bell a proctologist
Bell's fight should be with another numbnuts organization (THE CRTC).
Canadians want to see what they want to see. If a homegrown comes up with a great series, we'll all want to watch it. We don't want to pay to have crap that is shoved down our throats.
If this is the best argument that this exec can devise, Bell is in serious trouble.
It's an idiotic argument.
- Peter the K
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Re: Quick, someone get Bell a proctologist
I would like to know why the daughter of the President of Bell was watching NetFlix instead of Crave-TV.
Kind of says it all right there, doesn't it?
- FM DXer
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Re: Quick, someone get Bell a proctologist
When showme and crave were discussed on the sowny, I pointed out why even bother trying to compete with a very well established Netflix. It is the typical Canadian way... copy an American idea with something inferior, too late, and then shove it down people's throats. Of course, an individual alphabetically low on the list was quick to attack my comment.
I don't subscribe to Bell or Rogers, (never had cable or satellite), so this really doesn't affect me, but if I want to watch something online, it will be US Netflix all the way, just like US XM satellite radio in the cars.
Dan Joseph made the comment that I have said time and time again... if music or video programming is great, people will want to watch it, no matter where it is produced, Canada, US or Sri Lanka....
- Hathaway
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Re: Quick, someone get Bell a proctologist
Peter the K wrote:
I would like to know why the daughter of the President of Bell was watching NetFlix instead of Crave-TV.
Kind of says it all right there, doesn't it?
Maybe she couldn't figure out how to get it to work? I was going to try Crave on Telus TV and the sign up procedure made me quit halfway through because I don't need it that bad.
The other thing Bell doesn't seem to understand about why people choose Netflix is because it HAS content like independent documents & documentaries. Most of what I watch on Netflix is either films or documentaries. You can't really find that on cable television. What you get is guys buying and selling junk, flipping houses or a bunch of fat rednecks hunting for the "wild Missisouri mud dog" or whatever.
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Thread Starter- aflem
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Re: Quick, someone get Bell a proctologist
From the Toronto Star:
Sorry Bell, accessing U.S. Netflix is not theft
- Peter the K
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Re: Quick, someone get Bell a proctologist
Right on the money.
Calling is "Stealing" is hardly appropriate here. Especially when each subscriber is actually paying for their "stolen" Netflix subscription.
I can understand the rights issues involved. But shouldn't the onus be on NetFlix to deal with it? How hard could it to set it up that a Canadian NetFlix subscription has to be paid for with a Canadian credit card and have a Canadian billing address and that only the Canadian Netflix selection is available regardless of the IP address?
You can't subscribe to Dish Network or DirectTV without a US billing address and US credit card. I know there are always ways around that, but it's much more complex than a VPN.
- Hathaway
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Re: Quick, someone get Bell a proctologist
Or maybe the "rights people" should move into the 21st Century?
Think about it Peter. The industry wanted to stop piracy so it supported streaming. Streaming stopped piracy. Yet, these ancient relics still expect people to adhere to a world like it was in 1974 where borders have meaning. Everyone is getting paid in this deal.
Only the media is so arrogant as to not only turn away customers but label them as theives and liars. Could you imagine any other business doing this? Then again, the media/radio business is a nice cozy protected industry in Canada. There is no foreign ownership. There is very little choice. They pay no royalties but use public property (spectrum).
Finally, one thing Bell hasn't given consideration is that maybe the rise in Netflix is because it's actually got some intelligent programming? A&E plays Duck Dynasty. History plays Pawn Wars. Etc. Etc. Maybe the people going to Netflix actually want to watch intelligent programming NOT available on regular TV. Same way people who want intelligent radio listen to the CBC because you can't find it elsewhere. People always say the CBC is for the left wingers. I disagree. It's for the people who don't want to lower their intelligence with talk radio or hearing about Kim K's ass photo on some music radio station.
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Thread Starter- Peter the K
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Re: Quick, someone get Bell a proctologist
Actually, Hathaway, I agree with you. The whole concept of rights is totally in need of being blown up and re-thought completely. Geography really doesn't matter anymore. Global communications and sharing of data is instant, so rights should reflect this.
However, I don't think "intellegence" in programming has anything to do with it. In fact, that argument is a red herring. You may recall that A&E initially stood for "Arts and Entertainment" and their programming was somewhat more haughty. Likewise, TLC was "The Learning Channel". They even ran cooking shows on Saturdays. Why did they take a turn for a much lower common denominator? The reality is that the likes of Duck Dynasty, the Kardashians and Honey Booboo et al garner eyeballs, even if most people won't admit to it.
- Mike
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Re: Quick, someone get Bell a proctologist
Hathaway and Peter -- excellent observations.
- Hathaway
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Re: Quick, someone get Bell a proctologist
@Peter
What I'm saying is the people who want some level of intelligence in their TV may well be chosing Netflix. Netflix has some real dribble, but it's chock full of interesting documentaries you cannot find elsewhere. If people want to watch "hot chicks hunting pigs" let them, but I don't. TV has did what FM radio has did. It's chosen the lowest common denominator & that's chased away a portion of the population looking for something a bit more intelligent.
And when I say intelligent, I don't mean some haughty "I've got an MBA" type of thing. I mean thoughtful intelligent programming that has mass appeal. Network TV sucks. It's so forgetable it's sad.
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Thread Starter- Mike
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Re: Quick, someone get Bell a proctologist
To paraphrase "Field of Dreams", if you produce quality, they will watch. But I'm convinced producers of all kinds are just lazy. It's easy to make a few million from a formulaic Adam Sandler piece of drek than it is to make a few million off something like "The King's Speech". Very easy to put a camera in front of `19 Kids `than to actually work a little and produce something like `Foyle`s War` or "Call the Midwife`. To speak to your points, Hathway and Peter, Netflix may also have some drek, but they also have a ton of stuff ppl want to watch AND at a reasonable price. I can`t get Netflix where I am in very rural Canada, but the people I know in the city who have it are VERY happy with it. Can you name just one happy Bell customer (or Rogers, for that matter)? I can`t. Not one.
- Hathaway
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Re: Quick, someone get Bell a proctologist
@Mike
Netflix has some great programming & there is probably much more I haven't found yet. I have been watching Departures which was on OLN a few years ago. Great Canadian television and I wish they would do more. My habits
Apple TV: For big name stuff (Sons of Anarchy, Sopranos, etc)
Netflix: Older movies & documentary stuff, and Netflix series
Regular TV: CTV News, a few shows on T&E, and lots on APTN. APTN is actually my favourite network even if it's often low budget.
A couple years ago I cut back my cable as I was paying $110.00 a month. I stopped missing it after a few days.
FYI, one reason Netflix might do well is that it's got kids stuff & lots of it. I can imagine that's a big sell for families.
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Thread Starter