Clampdown on TV 'Dodgy Boxes'

Theres a circular argument apparent in alot of posts,"I would not pay those prices for what I watch "and "if you and others paid your share the prices might be cheaper". hen and egg.

Well you didn't specify it was a brand new car now, did you! 😂

I cannot see anyone saying that, what the majority are saying is essentially "It's a rip off, if it was in anyway decent value they may consider it".

Are you really arguing that SKY would reduce their prices if they get more subscribers?

If you look at the BARB tv viewing data from the UK, they seem to be doing very well over there viewing / subscriber wise on Sky Sports in particular. Long term though with younger audiences more likely to stream, the future is bleak I would think.

This is a battle that SKY will never win. Nor will any other media company.

Or that is to say you can't win by an attitude of enforcement. It can only be won by providing a better, more convenient service than piracy.

SKY must know this on some level but greed does strange things to a mind. The shareholders always want a greater and greater return on their investment.

If the Premiership, for example, demanded less for the rights to broadcast their games, SKY could (theoretically because greed) charge less for people to see them and, like that South Park episode pointed out referencing musicians, footballers would just have to settle with owning one private jet instead of two.

There's a level of greed which is sustainable and then there's a level of greed which pushes customers into the arms of the dodgy box men. Careful which one you pick, SKY.

The shareholders always want a greater and greater return on their investment.

Exactly why saying the more new customers that sign up / current customers willing to keep paying "their share" legitimately will lower the monthly price of Sky is nonsense. It will only encourage higher prices as we've seen rapid increases in the last few years. Call it good business or greed but its time it stopped.

Its like Eamo selling cigarettes from Spain at 7 euro a box when they're 18 euro down the shops. #dailydodgyanalogy

Even the dodgy box men will become greedy if they think they have the market cornered. Really, it's only digital piracy that has made any of these vendors halfway honest, because they know if they push it too far, people will just take back to the high seas.

Am I right in thinking they only charge their Irish customers for basic HD or is it UK as well?

They could take a wage cut, but why would they? They've been offered this by their employer, no one is going to say "Oh no that's too much, give me 50% less please".

Would you do this yourself?

Not voluntarily, but if the market crashed and all the contracts for the TV rights were re-adjusted, then there would clearly be a trickle down effect. The players are well within their rights to say that there is a big bucket full of cash out there and they want their share as its their skills on show. Can't see how the rights can go up if subscriber levels are going in the opposite direction.

One of youse has hacked the Indo, and impersonated Adrian Weckler. Paywalled, but the headline says it all.

https://www.independent.ie/business/technology/adrian-weckler-if-sky-wants-to-tackle-illegal-dodgy-boxes-sports-streaming-needs-to-be-offered-at-a-fair-price/a1234449764.html

https://archive.is/V9hTQ

It’s a flood that no entity can permanently dam. Major sports bodies are starting to realise this, cutting more and more diverse deals with more and more organisations. Ironically, this is often where streams for dodgy boxes are sourced – through far-off broadcast rights that the Premier League (or anyone else) has negotiated and which can never be completely blocked back home.

Well they know what has to happen. How long is the question…

If that is accurate, it's nearly as many customers as Virgin Media fixed line subscriber base of 432,000 customers. Eir TV only has 112,000.

ah we re honest thieves though!

From what I remember of the process, some impressive sounding marketing consultancy makes a guess which ends up in a press release. Said press release is recycled by publications looking for content. When it comes to reporting on Technology, recycled press releases form a large part of what people read. They are free for the publications and provide content for Phil Space and Polly Filla articles. The publications then sell advertising on these articles, webpages or broadcasts.

Since the whole "dodgyboxes are bad" angle is being pushed by Sky and Sky is a big advertiser, it gets coverage from newspapers, TV stations and radio stations.The press releases allow journalists to act like they have a clue about the issue and they get interviewed on the TV and radio stations. Suppose it is a break from the "which colour broadband is right for you?" articles. Whether the numbers quoted have any basis in reality is irrelevant. They are used as a hook to get people interested and promote Sky's and FACT's interests.

Regards…jmcc