Google Buying Satellite Manufacturer Skybox Imaging for $500 Million

Google_logoAP breaking news today that Google is pushing into the space business.

Skybox-ImagingTheir purchase of Skybox Imaging for $500 million will first be utilized for improving map data in Google Maps and Earth. Eventually however, we could be looking at numerous satellites being used to provide data and broadband services around the globe.

Google’s optioned drone manufacturers, consumer and home automation products, location and in-door mapping services, they’re working on AI, and now they’re launching into space. I’m avoiding making the obvious dystopian sci-fi joke here….

Full AP story below: Continue reading “Google Buying Satellite Manufacturer Skybox Imaging for $500 Million”

Will the Canadian Government Require Cable & Satellite Providers to Offer a la carte Options?

coax cablePretty much what we’ve all been asking for since the dawn of cable television.

While some Canadian providers are already offering some version of a la carte, the ability to subscribe to just the channels you want, it looks like the Canadian government will require cable and satellite providers to offer individual channels to customers. Said Industry Minister James Moore:

“We don’t think it’s right for Canadians to have to pay for bundled television channels that they don’t watch. We want to unbundle television channels and allow Canadians to pick and pay the specific television channels that they want.”

As someone who recently had to shop through my local cable company’s plans and options, the way we currently pay for TV can be incredibly frustrating. Following the realization that I only watch a handful of channels, the tier of cable I have to buy to get the channels I want means I end up overbuying hundreds of channels I’m never going to watch.

However, you lucky Canucks will hopefully get to skirt that soon. Know that I’ll be jealous.

(via Reuters)

CBS & TWC mend fences in time for NFL season. CBS shows to air again tonight.

CBS Time Warner Cable agreement blackout somegadgetguy television distribution tvIn a move which I’m sure was shocking to no one, CBS and Time Warner found a way to set aside their insurmountable differences to work out an agreement JUST in time for the start of the NFL season. How fortuitous. I mean that’s just really good timing on their part.

CBS content should begin airing again for TWC subscribers starting tonight, around 6pm in fact. My DVR is very much looking forward to this reunification, and now I might finally find out how that Ted guy met the mother of his children.

In all seriousness however, details on the agreement are scarce, most likely to avoid any company overly losing face in the marketplace. This way both can turn to their customers and claim a victory.

This fight really has underscored a broader topic in telecommunications and media distribution. As networks pay more for content like airing NFL games, what rights and responsibilities do they have in broadcasting that content? To recoup their costs, where should they be allowed to display that content, and what influence should Cable and Satellite companies have over their ability to negotiate these deals? It’s a complicated dance.

We’ve seen a lot of consumer desire, especially among “cable cutters” to see offerings like HBO Go sold as a standalone web property like Netflix. Cable packages never brought us that dream of à la carte channel pricing, but a company like CBS might be able to make an end run around traditional distribution to serve customers directly. Though I’m sure Comcast, TWC, Verizon, etc loathe the idea of becoming “dumb pipes” to funnel competing content.

While I’m happy to have CBS back on my cable, this is just the beginning of a much larger conflict for viewers.

Is it weird to anyone else that both companies use an eye in their logo? Just me? Full CBS press release after the jump.

Continue reading “CBS & TWC mend fences in time for NFL season. CBS shows to air again tonight.”