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flaviur

Hello everyone,

I hope that this gets to whoever is responsible to bring content to BIV in Romania and in Europe.

The number of available channels in BIV in Romania is embarassingly small. I noticed that the same situation repeats itself for all "minor" countries in Europe. On the other hand on the major countries there is significant content available, either VOD (SEN/Qriocity non-existing here!) or free coming from the existing TV networks.

Please add at least the public/major TV networks to BIV common baseline (e.g. BBC, M6, etc).!!! AXN is great - but lonely!

They are already in the BIV portfolio. Also they are available throughout EU on the cable operators. It is very likely that these TV channels would be more than happy to extend their audience base via BIV European baseline. The content they put on the internet is anyway content available freely for anyone with a TV with an antenna.

Why would Sony do this? Because this can bring value-added services to the portfolio and - being attractive to customers - will convinve more people to buy Sony.

IMHO BIV proves an excellent quality of service and would be a pitty to leave it barebones for so many countries.

flaviur

Hi Catmambo!

True, it is down to the broadcasters to say yes or no. But it is certainly up to Sony to ask the question, with the right arguments!

I also know all to well that bringing a new business model in a corporation like Sony is a difficult task.

This is how I see it: so far BIV is just an advertising medium to showcase/tease/trailer other media products.

Its actual potential is to be a worldwide "digital TV cable" service.

Technically all conditions are in place:

- broadband internet access is now widely available at more and more reasonable cost to end-users in the world

- Sony has the infrastructure to stream video content at top-notch quality, including fullHD and 3D

- TV networks are streaming already on the www both recorded content and live broadcast

- Sony is itself a content author for things ranging from motion picture, to music, to gaming

- commercial TV networks are ad supported, with more money for more audience.

The fastest and easiest way is to bring in streams form the TV channels that are already distributed freely globally. Their copyright issues are already solved... To identify them is rather easy: just look at what is available not encoded via satellite for home receivers.

I am pretty sure that these channels/networks would not mind paying BIV to be streamed, as they do not mind paying for the more expensive satellite access. Languages are not important. Diversity is. And quantity.

Therefore the only thing that should be added in the pot is the drive to make BIV a global "cable service".

Maybe you can forward these ideas to the decision levels in your company. Let's keep in mind that without iTunes and AppStore, iPhone is just an average smartphone with an outrageous price...

Message was edited by: flaviur

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Catmambo

Hi

Yes you make a good point and technically it could be switched on tomorrow. But we are bound by strict contracts with content partners who say where we can and can't show the content. This is down to the broadcasters, not Sony.

Premium content services like Video Unlimited and Mucis Unlimited are being rolled out across Europe so you should have those soon. Do lobby your broadcasters as ultimately they have to want to get involved - many aren't yet comfortable with the idea unfortunately.

Thanks

flaviur