[LINK] Datacasting in doubt

[richard@auscoms.com.au]

Oh my God. No datacasting? No corporatised pre-digested Big Mac faux-Internet
for my TV? I can't buy CDs in a sub-window that obscures the tits in Sex in the
City? I'll have to talk to a (gasp) human being to order a pizza, and maybe say
thank you at the end of the call?

That's it. Open the window, I'm jumping.

To put it another way, datacasting has never managed to even twitch the needle
on my give-a-shit meter...and regrettably, we must remember that correlation
isn't causality. Alston is a twit, yes. Datacasting is a dog, yes. But they're
independent events. The dog-ness of datacasting is because consumers never
cared, not because of political failures.

It's been a shocking weekend for datacasting, digital TV and HDTV all over.
Which is why flacks like myself get the up-vibe save-the-industry press release
this morning from FACTS - the acronym is a malapropism, it stands for Federation
of Australian Commercial Television Stations. 

So having heard that (a) nobody gives a damn about datacasting, (b) nobody wants
to fork out the price of a medium-sized car for an HDTV and (c) so why bother
with digital TVs when we won't be watching HDTV and aren't they the same thing
(because all parties have perfected the art of confusing the consumer)? -- with
all this happening, FACTS is obliged to blow some air into the balloon.

I can't insert the text, because -- displaying a laughably lamentable grasp of
technology, they send the release as a fax scan turned into a PDF and attached
to an e-mail -- it's not copyable. So some excerpts:

>Early purchasers of HDTV receivers can expect to find many hours of HDTV
programming >available each week
[snip]
>this will include popular American series [rc: maybe the ETs in the X-files are
only visible in >hi-res?] sitcoms and movies, as well as many top Australian
programs [caveat coming] once >local HDTV production facilities are in place
[snip]

Much more of this pathetic drivel. When a vested interest feels obliged to
remind you how wonderful your life is going to be, watch out.

Richard Chirgwin
____________________Reply Separator____________________
Subject:    [LINK] Datacasting in doubt
Author: "Jan Whitaker" <jwhit@PrimeNet.Com>
Date:       17/06/00 10:27

They're jumping off the Alston Titanic .....
http://www.it.fairfax.com.au/breaking/20000616/A11770-2000Jun16.html

And add this to the reports about no receivers until at least 2nd quarter 
2001 for digsets, looks like the Link members called it right and Alston 
screwed up again. are we surprised? ...not

Uncertain Telstra dumps datacast
                   trials
                   16:45 Friday 16 June 2000
                   By BARRY PARK
                   TELSTRA has withdrawn from upcoming datacasting trials, 
citing
                   "serious questions" about the long-term viability of 
datacasting in
                   Australia.

                   Australia's largest telecommunications carrier said 
today it not be taking
                   part in the July trials and would be considering its 
options for
                   participation in a trial of the service later in the year.

                   "Telstra is disappointed with the outcome of the digital 
TV and
                   Datacasting Bill as it raises serious questions about 
the viability of
                   datacasting," the company said in a statement issued 
late today.

                   "The opportunity to provide new and innovative services 
to Australian
                   consumers may not be realised unless changes are made to 
the Bill," it
                   said.

                   Telstra said the significant outlay needed to support 
the datacasting trial
                   needed to be assessed "due to the high level of 
restriction and
                   uncertainty for datacasters contained in the Bill".

                   "In addition to this, uncertainty surrounding the 
federal government's
                   timing and process for allocation of the spectrum 
licence for datacasting
                   is also a key factor in whether participation in the 
trial is viable."

                   Last week, print and online publisher John Fairfax 
Holdings announced
                   it had suspended its datacasting trial, citing 
"substantial deficiencies" in
                   the federal government's digital television legislation.

                   Making the announcement, Fairfax said it would assess 
whether to
                   proceed with datacasting trials in Canberra, scheduled 
for October and
                   November this year, depending on subsequent legislative 
and policy
                   developments.

                   Fairfax chief executive officer Fred Hilmer said this 
week the
                   datacasting bill "will not permit us to proceed with a 
viable datacasting
                   service on a commercially sustainable basis".

                   Telstra also announced last week its $67.5 million 
online content deal
                   with national media group ABC had fallen through after 
negotiations
                   broke down.

                   Fairfax is the publisher of IT Breaking News.