The Tube is awesome, but why are they FTA?

[carload]

My favorite unexpectedly great FTA channel is The Tube on G10R. I can't imagine anyone adequately explaining it to me. All great videos intelligently chosen from the Golden Age to the present. AND eye candy graphics in between. AND no commercials but the very occasional PSA. It's much better than I expected.

Forgive me if this is a stupid question, but whaddaya suppose The Tube is doing on FTA? Do they hope to get on some digital cable systems? Are they already on some? Is this some big demonstration project to lure investors?

(BTW, ImaginAsian is also on my list of unexpectedly cool channels. I love FTA!)

 

[Mr Tony]

honestly....if its FTA you don't need a reason

Equity might be thinking of putting this on some channels overnight (just a thought)

 

[TuxCoder]

My first guess a couple months ago when I found it was that it was for record stores to put up on their screens while people browse music. It would be great for that.

But actually, it's scheduled for "release" in the fall. That's right about now, so I expect some time during November to start seeing announcements from cable companies (and hopefully Dish Network ) of plans to carry it. Then who knows what that means for the FTA transmission of the channel... if something should happen to it (cross your fingers everyone!) I only hope Dish Network picks it up in the AT60 or AT120 so I can continue to enjoy it.

Over the past months my mind has occasionally wandered into possibilities of supporting the FTA transmission. Donations from viewers would be nice (if people would in fact donate). Or record stores, bars, restaurants, whatever commercial establishments could show it for a nominal monthly rate to support its free broadcast for noncommercial use.

 

[TuxCoder]

Also, I should add, look at Más Música, the Latino music videos channel on G10R. It's been around since '98 and has been in the clear at least as long as The Tube has been around.

 

[WTguy]

Mas Musica is carried on some lp stations around the country and I suspect Equity (or whoever owns it) would like to get cable carriage. When The Tube went up my thought was that it would probably end up the same way, some lp carriage and hopefully some cable carriage.

FTA is just an easy and efficient way to distribute the channel to the carriers (which is the main reason for their station feeds, distribution to cable carriers).

 

[carload]

When we talk about LP carriage, it sounds like the South Park underwear gnomes. (Their business plan is "Get Underwear + ?? = Profit".) Where would the income come from, either to the LP station carrying it or to The Tube itself?

 

[Sneaky Snooper]

Equity is airing The Tube on some of its stations. I've seen it on the Lick TV (WNYI/WPXS/KUMO/KDEV) feed.

I've had a lot of correspondence with the founder of the channel, and he seemed shocked Equity picked it up.