Final Four coming to cable in '14

[muwarrior69]

Chicos, ESPN gets about $5 per sub for its channels what does Turner get?

[ChicosBailBonds]

could be at 100% penetration if Chicos got off of scoop during work hours, aina?

My business still growing....I just work strange hours.   

[ChicosBailBonds]

Chicos, ESPN gets about $5 per sub for its channels what does Turner get?

A lot lot less.  Obviously I can't disclose that, but I can guide you to a public statement that may or may not be in the ballpark from SNL Kagan.

"Cable operators pay Turner $1.21 per subscriber per month for TNT and 59 cents for TBS, according to numbers from SNL Kagan. Turner's plans to increase that fee rest on keeping high-quality sports programming like the MLB playoffs in its lineup."
-Sept 2012

[ATL MU Warrior]

Chicos,

What % of a network like ESPN's annual revenue comes from advertising vs. distribution fees?  Do you know that information?

[GGGG]

I don't know why people are surprised by this.  ESPN moved the BCS games to cable a few years ago and those are more watched than most March Madness is.  

[ChicosBailBonds]

Since we have younger children, the TV doesn't go on from Monday morning until Friday night.  It is actually a hugh benefit to my family.  TV was as much a distraction for me and my wife as my children.  If you have kids, I don't know of another option to really be engaged as a family.  Since we are busy on weekends doing stuff, this led me to get rid of cable.  It was a good move.  Although I miss sports on ESPN at times and MU games, I've found it does free up more time and is rather liberating.  I also found out that I like listening to Mac and Homer.  Since the St. Johns game was so historic, I actually managed to catch the game at a bar!

Overall, not having cable results in less TV time (or as they say now "screen time" as we include computers, ipads, etc in the Monday-Friday ban).  If all the school work and extras get done and everyone has had a solid week, we even sometimes allow the over the air TV to go on for an hour on a Thursday night 

Watching TV for over 4 hours a day is rather shocking... really kind of sad...   

For some people, it's all they have.  We have data that shows single people, especially the elderly, this is their life.  Different parts of the country due to weather or economic conditions also play a role.  Where it is warmer, less tv consumption.  Where it is colder, more tv consumption.  Not surprising, really.

Our rules in our house aren't quite as restrictive, but that is tied to the kids grades.  So far they have both excelled, but when they get a hiccup, tv and video games are the first to go.  Their mom is monitoring those grades on nearly a daily basis from the school.

[Tugg Speedman]

I don't know why people are surprised by this.  ESPN moved the BCS games to cable a few years ago and those are more watched than most March Madness is.  

+1. The football NC was on ESPN.  Why is that ok and the bball NC on cable bad?

[ChicosBailBonds]

Chicos,

What % of a network like ESPN's annual revenue comes from advertising vs. distribution fees?  Do you know that information?

ESPN is part of Disney and to my knowledge they don't break that out separately for public disclosure for each network.  In the old days (5 to 10 years ago), over the air networks relied mostly on advertising and a few pennies from distribution fees (known as Retransmission Fees for OTA networks).  I'm talking Fox, NBC, ABC, CBS.  When the economy went to hell and advertising along with it, the networks had to make up the revenue elsewhere so they demanded a lot more from distributors even though those signals can be picked up off the air with rabbit ears for free.

In ESPN's case, they have always been a cable channel and always extremely reliant on those programming fees. If you do the math based on the amount they are getting per distributor (let's say we use your $5.+ number) X penetrated HH's (about 100 million) X 12 months = a crapload of money JUST for ESPN.  That doesn't even factor in ESPN2, etc. 

In ESPN's case, this article may help....of course ESPN is the exception to the rule.   http://seekingalpha.com/article/1098631-disney-s-banner-year-buttressed-by-espn-s-strength

[ChicosBailBonds]

+1. The football NC was on ESPN.  Why is that ok and the bball NC on cable bad?

Not bad, just a change.  At some point the Super Bowl will be also.  There are just some historic events like the Masters, Final Four, Super Bowl, etc that have always been on "free tv".  There will be a day when some of these events will become PPV in our lifetime....at least that is the prediction of some.  Maybe 25 years out.

[rocky_warrior]

Why?   It's on a major channel, the games are also streamed - who cares if it is on Ch 58 versus Channel 2032

And this is the major point.  As long as the stream doesn't go away, all is good.

[Chicos' Buzz Scandal Countdown]

Judging by next year's roster, I may become a cable subscriber for the 2014 MU FF

[Chicago_inferiority_complexes]

It's been a frequently reported trend that more and more people (including me) are ditching cable, and going with a combination of over-the-air HD antenna for local network channels, and a combination of Internet/Streaming options (Netflix, Apple TV, Hulu, etc.) for other content.  Personally, I get CBS, but not Turner, so this would really suck.

I'm one of them.

[Chicago_inferiority_complexes]

Yes, but it's at a snails pace.  More numbers out today, fresh off the press.  About 5 million HH no longer have pay television, up slightly from last year and up mostly in economically hampered areas...cable has been hurt mostly.  Telco and Satellite still growing, though saturation point has long been reached. 

'12 television viewing actually higher than '11.  Americans spending 4.39 hours per day watching live tv vs 4.35 hours per day in 2011.  Another 49 minutes per day with DVD, video games, DVR for a total of over 34 hours per week in front of the television for the average American.  African Americans at 55 hours, Hispanics 35 hours, Asian Americans 27 hours.

It amazes me that people pull this off, but I believe it. I'm not even awake and at home each night for 4.39 hours.

[Chicago_inferiority_complexes]

For some people, it's all they have.  We have data that shows single people, especially the elderly, this is their life.  Different parts of the country due to weather or economic conditions also play a role.  Where it is warmer, less tv consumption.  Where it is colder, more tv consumption.  Not surprising, really.

I can see this with a lot of people, but I'm still kind of amazed because I am the exact demographic you would expect to have a $150 satellite package, and I don't. I'm single, I live in BF'ing nowhere now (Davenport, Iowa), and I don't have the time or interest that would make a cable or satellite package financially worthwhile.

I realize that I am not even 1% of the demographics of this country (see the 95% thing above). But I have to wonder how many people in their 20's like me just can't see the financial value in a cable package over streaming online or watching stuff in a bar.

[forgetful]

It amazes me that people pull this off, but I believe it. I'm not even awake and at home each night for 4.39 hours.

Agreed.  I'd love to be able to fine almost 4.5 hours of free time a night.  If I did, I wouldn't spend it watching TV, well unless MU was playing in a 6 OT thriller.

[Jay Bee]

What % of a network like ESPN's annual revenue comes from advertising vs. distribution fees?  Do you know that information?

Looking BRIEFLY at some financial information... (Cable Network [a breakdown of the Media Network - other large part is Broadcasting] advertising revenues of $3.8mm; Media Network affiliate fees [mostly Cable Network] 9.4mm)... it appears that ESPN's advertising/distribution split is around 30%/70%.

[Litehouse]

+1. The football NC was on ESPN.  Why is that ok and the bball NC on cable bad?

Personally, I don't care about college football, so I didn't notice. NCAAs on cable is bad because it affects me more.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Agreed.  I'd love to be able to fine almost 4.5 hours of free time a night.  If I did, I wouldn't spend it watching TV, well unless MU was playing in a 6 OT thriller.

Remember it's on average.  Most people's viewing patterns are a little tv in the morning, maybe the weather or news prior to work.  Then when they get home, it's a good 2 to 3 hours, some more.  Weekends, people consume a lot more which just builds on the average.  You aren't alone, but for every one of you there is a stay at home mom that is consuming 12 hours a day.  Different strokes for different folks.

[Sunbelt15]

In present time, nothing good is free.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

By law, Maury Povich Show has to be playing at all times in every quick lube oil change place in the country.

[Lennys Tap]

You aren't alone, but for every one of you there is a stay at home mom that is consuming 12 hours a day.  Different strokes for different folks.

Sounds more like a stay at home baby sitter.

[WarriorInNYC]

Remember it's on average.  Most people's viewing patterns are a little tv in the morning, maybe the weather or news prior to work.  Then when they get home, it's a good 2 to 3 hours, some more.  Weekends, people consume a lot more which just builds on the average.  You aren't alone, but for every one of you there is a stay at home mom that is consuming 12 hours a day.  Different strokes for different folks.

Is that 4.39 hours per person or per household?

I know I live in a house where I have several roommates and the TV is on quite a bit, though not one of us in particular is there the whole time the TV is on.  This also applies to families, especially those with multiple TVs in the house.  Say if two TVs are on in the same house for 2 hours each, does this equate to 4 hours per the statistics mentioned?

[GOO]

For some people, it's all they have.  We have data that shows single people, especially the elderly, this is their life.  Different parts of the country due to weather or economic conditions also play a role.  Where it is warmer, less tv consumption.  Where it is colder, more tv consumption.  Not surprising, really.

Our rules in our house aren't quite as restrictive, but that is tied to the kids grades.  So far they have both excelled, but when they get a hiccup, tv and video games are the first to go.  Their mom is monitoring those grades on nearly a daily basis from the school.

Chico, I really didn't think about the elderly watching a lot of TV.  That makes me at least feel a little better.  And I suppose those without jobs, etc, will watch a lot of TV.  Can't really blame them.  I'd do the same.

Now, for limiting your kids screen time, aren't you supposed to have an industry phrase to tell us why we should not only be watching TV 4 hours a day, but watching more and how good TV is for us...?    Or at least, we encourage people to watch TV responsibly 

[4everwarriors]

By law, Maury Povich Show has to be playing at all times in every quick lube oil change place in the country.

Forget anout the coupons. You just need to upgrade your service facilities for that POS car.