The end of free content?
POSTED BY: SignyM
UPDATED: Monday, August 25, 2025 17:37
VIEWED: 3901
PAGE 3 of 4
Quote:
Originally posted by SignyM:Quote:DUH. That's the point of the article.
Since information is readily available to anyone with an internet connection
??
Alrighty then.
SergeantX
"Dream a little dream or you can live a little dream. I'd rather live it, cause dreamers always chase but never get it." Aesop Rock
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Please see my edit.
Let me ask you a question: Do you know what "content" is?
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We should have strapped him into a glider, filled it nose heavy w/ explosives, and dropped his Allah lovin' ass into a large, empty field. After which, release wild boars into the area so they could make good use of his remains. Now THAT's justice.- rappy
Yeah, that's what Sheikh Issa said. Seems you both have a lot in common.- signy
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Quote:
Originally posted by SignyM:
The internet has revolutionized the way we get information. All of that may come to a screeching halt, as news corporations seeks to make it a profit center.
...
Once again, profit ruins a great idea.
So, SignyM, any suggestions as to a better system, or is this just another rant against those who think that they deserve to be paid for providing a service?
"Keep the Shiny side up"
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Government-funded media. Seems to work well for BBC and CBC, and to some extent NPR.
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We should have strapped him into a glider, filled it nose heavy w/ explosives, and dropped his Allah lovin' ass into a large, empty field. After which, release wild boars into the area so they could make good use of his remains. Now THAT's justice.- rappy
Yeah, that's what Sheikh Issa said. Seems you both have a lot in common.- signy
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Quote:
Originally posted by SignyM:
Let me ask you a question: Do you know what "content" is?
Ahh.. well, that's the interesting bit of this topic. It's currently in the midst of being redefined. It's no longer the same is "information" and that's what currently has the traditional media in a tailspin. For ages now, journalism (for most practitioners) has been about controlling the pipeline. But now, much the same as the music business, the pipeline has become nearly immediate. Writers and performers can deliver their services directly to an audience. And they can do it without the overhead, and compromising influence, of large corporate interests.
I think a new definition of "content", at least in terms of something you can making money with, is one of the things that will shake out of all of things.
SergeantX
"Dream a little dream or you can live a little dream. I'd rather live it, cause dreamers always chase but never get it." Aesop Rock
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Quote:
Originally posted by SignyM:
Government-funded media. Seems to work well for BBC and CBC, and to some extent NPR.
So, I have a question, since you seem intent on the usual.
Libertarian types often talk about government in terms of the limited set of services it should provide, with all else being off-limits. You seem to look at it from the other end of the spectrum, so I'm wondering, what are the limits of your government run paradise? What wouldn't you put government in charge of? What are the limits of your ideal system and how would you go about defining them?
SergeantX
"Dream a little dream or you can live a little dream. I'd rather live it, cause dreamers always chase but never get it." Aesop Rock
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HOWEVER.... there are several pinch-points to this information explosion:
1) Private ownership of the physical internet. In the USA, the backbones (fiberoptic, satellite and cable) and switching networks are owned by the telecoms (AT&T, Verizon etc). Yes, you can choose one ISP over another but in the end they have to lease their time on the phsyical structures. And thanks to a recent FCC decision, the owners of the physical structure are no longer required to lease out their equipment to competing entities.
Like water, sewage, electricity, gas, and roadways, installation of competing infrastructure is so expensive that these services form natural monopolies and a natural pinch-point. (Limited bandwidth of broadcast TV and radio also encourages monopolies.) Because of that monopolistic structure, access could- in theory- become virtually unobtainable.
2) Individual access to the inet. It takes a computer and some disposable income to access the inet, both to input information and to obtain it. It also takes some technology training. Information is therefore winnowed by money and education.
3) ISP pinch-points. It's no secret that google has conceded terms to the PRC. Which also bring up Microsoft and its NSA backdoors, and its self-interested and mutual copyright protection agreements with the RIAA. (I will nver forgive Bill Clinton for the DMCA. They call it digital "rights" management, when in reality its digital RESTRICTIONS management. Talk about Orwellian!)
4) Data collection. A million on-the-scene "reporters" with cellphone cameras cannot- unfortunately- replace one good investigative reporter. (Altho the million cellphone reporters ARE every good at exposing official lies.)
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We should have strapped him into a glider, filled it nose heavy w/ explosives, and dropped his Allah lovin' ass into a large, empty field. After which, release wild boars into the area so they could make good use of his remains. Now THAT's justice.- rappy
Yeah, that's what Sheikh Issa said. Seems you both have a lot in common.- signy
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Quote:My ideal government? Wow, that would take pages. I'm not sure I've fully thought it out yet, but when I have time I'll give it a shot.
Libertarian types often talk about government in terms of the limited set of services it should provide, with all else being off-limits. You seem to look at it from the other end of the spectrum, so I'm wondering, what at the limits of your government run paradise? What wouldn't you put government in charge of? What at the limits of your ideal system and how would you go about defining them?
My quick answer, tho, is.... when you see something that's working elsewhere and examples of what haven't worked, why re-invent the wheel? The closest we've ever come to "free market" capitalism was at the founding of our nation: land was relatively available (not a nation of nobles and peasants) and many people were producers. Incomes (not counting slaves and women) were fairly level compared to today. There were no large businesses. But it didnt' take long (about 100 years) before we devolved to corporatocracy! That is the NATURAL history of capitalism: what starts out equal becomes unequal. Small businesses are acquired by bigger businesses. Monopolies ensue. A wealthy class is created. OTOH look at Europe. They have created a system where wealth is re-distributed, education is encouraged and freely available, telecoms (physical infrastructure) is owned by the government etc... in a milieu of democratically-elected governments.
That's not my IDEAL solution but its certainly better than what we have here!
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We should have strapped him into a glider, filled it nose heavy w/ explosives, and dropped his Allah lovin' ass into a large, empty field. After which, release wild boars into the area so they could make good use of his remains. Now THAT's justice.- rappy
Yeah, that's what Sheikh Issa said. Seems you both have a lot in common.- signy
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Quote:
Originally posted by SignyM:
Government-funded media. Seems to work well for BBC and CBC, and to some extent NPR.
I take it this assumes that you, or folk you approve of, will be running the government at this point, so the message the government-funded media provides will be approved and appropriate.
I notice you didn't include Russia's government funded, and run, media in your list. How do you manage to get funding without control? Notice how much control the US government's minority stake in GM and Chrysler gives them.
"Keep the Shiny side up"
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Quote:
Originally posted by SignyM:
Government-funded media. Seems to work well for BBC and CBC, and to some extent NPR.
I take it this assumes that you, or folk you approve of, will be running the government at this point, so the message the government-funded media provides will be approved and appropriate.
I notice you didn't include Russia's government funded, and run, media in your list. How do you manage to get funding without control? Notice how much control the US government's minority stake in GM and Chrysler gives them.
"Keep the Shiny side up"
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME