Future of Canadian TV

[bush_cheney2004]

Now this is interesting....illegal streaming of content not licensed in Canada apparently figures prominently into so called "cord cutter" strategy. They can be bold and tell Canadian cable services to shove it while still accessing U.S. and other foreign content illegally. But that game is changing, and some spoiled Canadians are fuming over it:

“It sounds like Netflix will triumph, which sucks for me,” he said. He said he has been using a VPN to access Netflix and other geo-blocked U.S. streaming services like Hulu because “it makes cutting the (cable) cord that much less painful.”

http://vancouversun.com/entertainment/television/netflix-drops-tech-bomb-on-canadian-vpn-users

So the enforcement of geo-blocking has much bigger ramifications for some Canadian content consumers far beyond Netflix. And the CRTC has the cable companies back on this.

Edited June 10, 2016 by bush_cheney2004

[Bryan]

So the enforcement of geo-blocking has much bigger ramifications for some Canadian content consumers far beyond Netflix. And the CRTC has the cable companies back on this.

The geo-blocking doesn't really work if you have a good VPN. There are far more reasons to do so than just American Netflix. The licenses they've got in other countries are quite varied -- pretty much every region has substantial content that the others don't. There are sites that keep a database of what countries a given show is available in with their local Netflix variant. Several new ongoing series are available right away in some countries when they haven't even aired on TV yet in Canada or the US.

Even the Canadian version has plenty that the US one does not. I deal with that on a regular basis where stuff I have saved in "my list" from the Canadian site is no longer available to me when I'm using Netflix when visiting the US. Happens a LOT. Then I just switch on my VPN so that Netflix thinks I'm back in Canada, and the shows return to my list.

[bush_cheney2004]

....Even the Canadian version has plenty that the US one does not. I deal with that on a regular basis where stuff I have saved in "my list" from the Canadian site is no longer available to me when I'm using Netflix when visiting the US. Happens a LOT. Then I just switch on my VPN so that Netflix thinks I'm back in Canada, and the shows return to my list.

Seriously ? Some people are that determined to be beat geo-blocking of TV programs and other media ? Does cord cutting logically force them into a pirating frenzy ?

Edited June 10, 2016 by bush_cheney2004

[Bryan]

Seriously ? Some people are that determined to be beat geo-blocking of TV programs and other media ? Does cord cutting logically force them into a pirating frenzy ?

People will watch what they want to watch when they want to watch it. Content providers are only picking their own pockets when they withhold shows from certain markets.

[bush_cheney2004]

People will watch what they want to watch when they want to watch it. Content providers are only picking their own pockets when they withhold shows from certain markets.

Agreed..the greatest gift that millennials bring to the workplace is their right to stream content at work while getting paid to do it.

[bush_cheney2004]

O-M-G....Canadians be loving them some Netflix:

Almost half of Canadians used Netflix to watch a TV show or movie in the past month, according to a report Wednesday from a Toronto-based digital consultancy.

In its quarterly Digital Life Canada report, Solutions Research Group said that roughly 5.2 million Canadian households currently pay for a Netflix subscription.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/netflix-streaming-cord-cutting-1.3636305

[?Impact]

O-M-G....Canadians be loving them some Netflix:

There was not a lot of love for Netflix in Canada in recent weeks. I am also somewhat surprised by the SRG results, perhaps it has something to do with the demographic they interview

For this edition, SRG interviewed 1,000 Canadians online in April 2016 using a professionally managed national online panel, says the release. The company has run Digital Life Canada each quarter since 2006 (that’s 40,000 interviews over the years).

Perhaps their on-line panel demographic is representative of people that are very on-line active (what percentage of that panel has been participating in the same panel for 10 years? If SRG is compensating them then it could be significant) and not the population in general. I think these semi-professional panels do have some relevance, but in some areas that cater directly to their demographic it may be very skewed.

[Bryan]

O-M-G....Canadians be loving them some Netflix:

Almost half of Canadians used Netflix to watch a TV show or movie in the past month, according to a report Wednesday from a Toronto-based digital consultancy.

In its quarterly Digital Life Canada report, Solutions Research Group said that roughly 5.2 million Canadian households currently pay for a Netflix subscription.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/netflix-streaming-cord-cutting-1.3636305

I'm surprised it's that low. I don't think I know anyone who doesn't have a Netflix subscription.

[waldo]

O-M-G....Canadians be loving them some Netflix:

per Netflix (March 2016) => ~47 million American subscriptions / ~5 million Canadian subscriptions

O-M-G.... about the same luvin' per country: ~15%

try again, try harder!

.

[Boges]

per Netflix (March 2016) => ~47 million American subscriptions / ~5 million Canadian subscriptions

O-M-G.... about the same luvin' per country: ~15%

try again, try harder!

.

I think a lot of people share accounts. I cancelled mine and use a family members password because I don't use the service enough to justify even the $10/month.

[bush_cheney2004]

I think a lot of people share accounts. I cancelled mine and use a family members password because I don't use the service enough to justify even the $10/month.

Probably a lot of that...I don't have any subscriptions to Canadian based streaming services. Not sure how I would get one anyway.

[bush_cheney2004]

Anyway, it looks like the brave future of the Canadian "cord cutting" rebellion includes access to other services as an alternative, like Netflix, and better yet...U.S. Netflix. Losing the VPN geo-hack probably only impacts the really hard core rebels and thieves.

[Bryan]

Anyway, it looks like the brave future of the Canadian "cord cutting" rebellion includes access to other services as an alternative, like Netflix, and better yet...U.S. Netflix. Losing the VPN geo-hack probably only impacts the really hard core rebels and thieves.

The VPN geo-hack still works if your VPN is any good. Works for just about any sports event that might have a regional blackout too -- including ones that might be free to air in some places and pay-per-view in others.

[bush_cheney2004]

The VPN geo-hack still works if your VPN is any good. Works for just about any sports event that might have a regional blackout too -- including ones that might be free to air in some places and pay-per-view in others.

Doesn't really require a geo-hack or VPN....pirate streaming from Eastern Europe is easy to access as long as you know how to manage the malware and pop-ups. Now they are going after the "Android boxes" in Canada....just can't catch a break from the Big Three or the CRTC.

[Boges]

Doesn't really require a geo-hack or VPN....pirate streaming from Eastern Europe is easy to access as long as you know how to manage the malware and pop-ups. Now they are going after the "Android boxes" in Canada....just can't catch a break from the Big Three or the CRTC.

The quality of those services are so poor, any real sports fans wouldn't want to depend on them.

I use them for NFL and College football. But it's hit and miss.

[bush_cheney2004]

The quality of those services are so poor, any real sports fans wouldn't want to depend on them.

I use them for NFL and College football. But it's hit and miss.

Right, but that is the final frontier that would kill cable service participation...sports programming.

[Bryan]

Right, but that is the final frontier that would kill cable service participation...sports programming.

We are almost there too. I subscribe to UFC Fight Pass, and I can watch almost all of their events on it. Even the ones that Fox has paid big money to have blacked out are still available on demand immediately after the card ends. So I just wait a couple of hours before I start to watch, then I get to see the whole thing commercial free.

[Boges]

We are almost there too. I subscribe to UFC Fight Pass, and I can watch almost all of their events on it. Even the ones that Fox has paid big money to have blacked out are still available on demand immediately after the card ends. So I just wait a couple of hours before I start to watch, then I get to see the whole thing commercial free.

Well if you're thinking about one sport, then yeah. You can pay for a subscription to watch every game or event for that one sport online. But that ads up if you want to do it above board. And there are local blackouts, so it doesn't work if you're a cord cutter. You'd need an VPN.

[Bryan]

Well if you're thinking about one sport, then yeah. You can pay for a subscription to watch every game or event for that one sport online. But that ads up if you want to do it above board. And there are local blackouts, so it doesn't work if you're a cord cutter. You'd need an VPN.

If you want every game from every sport, yes that will certainly add up. Forget interest or money though, who even has time for that?

[Boges]

If you want every game from every sport, yes that will certainly add up. Forget interest or money though, who even has time for that?

People follow a teams. I can watch Jays games in the summer. Football games in the fall and Leaf games in the winter. Edited June 22, 2016 by Boges

[Bryan]

People follow a teams. I can watch Jays games in the summer. Football games in the fall and Leaf games in the winter.

Die hards do that, but most people watch whomever is doing well, and that changes a lot.

That said there most likely is a market for standalone team streaming services. Those could add up substantially too, to the point that an all-in sports service might still be more cost effective.

UFC Fight Pass is a value that I can't see too many other sports being able to match though. For $8 a month, I get 100% of the content from over a dozen MMA promotions from all over the world, plus original programming, plus an on-demand back catalogue of almost every major MMA event that has ever been held. If you only follow one fighter, you can easily navigate to only their fights and never even have to see the rest of the cards.

If the NHL's service was even half as good as the UFC's, I'd absolutely add that on. As it is, the NHL is too much money for too many restrictions, and not enough bonus content.

[Boges]

The UFC doesn't have anywhere near the content as one of the major 4 sports leagues do. What a fight card a week?

[Bryan]

The UFC doesn't have anywhere near the content as one of the major 4 sports leagues do. What a fight card a week?

UFC Fight Pass has live cards pretty much every day, sometimes several in the same day.

[Boges]

UFC Fight Pass has live cards pretty much every day, sometimes several in the same day.

You'd pretty much have to be a diehard to want to watch UFC everyday. Sort of like if you want to have access to every NHL game.

The NBA's league pass is the best one, where you can buy individual games or follow individual teams.

Edited June 22, 2016 by Boges

[Bryan]

The NBA's league pass is the best one, where you can buy individual games or follow individual teams.

Not much of a basketball fan, so I've never used that service. It does sound like the ideal way for team sports to present their content. Hopefully other will follow suit.

How much is it?