ESPN selling premium content to Net providers
by Brian Reich | 15 Jun 2006, 2:00am
ESPN is doing it right.
The Boston Globe writes today: “In a strategy inspired by cable television , the Walt Disney Company’s ESPN sports network offers online broadcasts of the World Cup and other sporting events as premium Internet programming.”
Why is this the right way? Because ESPN has the best content and the providers have the best vehicle for distribution. Its a natural marriage. ESPN is making it possible for users of all the different services, all over the country, to access their terrific content. This puts the consumer is in control, which is how it should be.
The article makes a connection to Net Neutrality (disclosure: the coalition of nonprofit groups and Internet content companies promoting Net Neutrality are a client of mine) — the legislation that would ban Internet providers from charging extra fees to companies that want to distribute their contnt over new premium-quality data networks. Where’s the connection? ESPN should have the right to charge for their content, and the providers should have the opportunity to profit from their distribution of it — but only by charging the users who want to access it. The providers cross the line when they try to charge people who aren’t accessing the ESPN content for their efforts to provide it. The article goes into a a bit more detail. You can also go visit www.itsournet.org for more information.
