Overnight (in case anyone cared) we lost the first real channel created for the digital subchannel market. The Tube as it was aptly called was a 24/7 network devoted to music videos for a wide variety of age groups. This OMI user will particularly miss it as I loved the mix of music the channel gave off. I even put it on in the background some days while I worked instead of the radio.
What I'm wondering is if we will ever see a market for digital subchannels or if cable penetration is too much. The FCC mandated this whole move to HD for over the air operators as a new and exciting way to bring content to over the air televisions. Yet cable operators and satellite providers won't be required to broadcast in HD. The mandate almost penalizes over the air operators for converting and rewards cable manufacturers who want to squeeze more out of the analog tv holders and for those who refuse to convert.
Really what's succeeded on the digital side thus far are almost all pledge stations in my opinion. PBS has 4, TBN has 5. ION is trying its luck on the digital side, but Worship at 22.4 is a pledge driven network so that takes away some of the burden and infomercials take up a lot of programming space on its primary channel. Without NBC subsidizing its qubo and ion life (dateline NBC rerun) content, they would be with all of the major broadcast channels here in the area.
Back to The Tube. If you tune into channel 32.2 on your ditial tv with bunny ears, you will see a message from the staff at Portland's CW that they will look to replace the channel soon with new content. I really hope and pray its something good, but what revenues can you expect from a station that doesn't get top billing on cable or satellite and is destined for channel 290482390? Music videos don't cost anything to broadcast, so The Tube just needed to cover operations costs with a few commercials here and there and it looks as though they couldn't. How would any network with actual shows being produced or having to pay movie commissions actually make it on a digital subchannel?
Tribune actually has some weight it can throw around because of its size and reach their stations have. What national content is left to pick from is very small unless it is ethnically based, so where does it leave us?
Thoughts?
That makes me so sad...it was like when MTV first began and videos actually played...sniff sniff..