Fox to delay free web access to popular TV shows

Fox Network announced late on Tuesday that it will start delaying web access to popular shows.  Until now, many Fox shows have appeared on Fox.com or Hulu the day after they air.  As of August 15th all that will change.

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In order to watch shows like "Bones", "Glee", or "The Simpsons" online for free the day after they air, viewers will need to be paid subscribers to a video provider.  The first provider is going to be Dish Network, who will integrate their subscriber user name and password system into a web portal to allow next day viewing.  Hulu Plus subscribers will also be able to view shows the next day.  Everyone else will have to wait eight days to view shows online.

Fox claims the point of all of this is to provide their Television providers with some exclusivity for their content.  Michael Hopkins, president of affiliate sales and marketing for Fox Networks, said, "We are continually looking at opportunities to provide our pay television distributors with content and products that enhance the value of pay television to subscribers."

What this really reads as is a way to protect advertising money and prevent piracy.  In reality, it will accomplish neither of those things.  There are a bevy of (illegal) websites providing access to almost any show on TV hours after they first air.  With a timed gate on anyone who is not a Dish Network or Hulu Plus Subscriber, anyone who is even remotely internet savvy is going to quickly find their favorite show for free elswhere online, without commercials of any kind.

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The thing about video piracy, especially when it comes to TV shows, is that it is incredibly fast and easy now.  Sites have almost any show, immediately after they air, and commercial free.  The stuff streams right from the website (hello TubePlus) so you don't have to take up hard drive space or figure out how to download a torrent.  Anyone can do this now, even folks who are not the most internet savvy, as long as they know what site to access.

From Fox's standpoint, this mostly looks good to their advertisers and Dish Network.  It makes it seem like they are trying to prevent piracy and push their ads when in reality it will work out to do the exact opposite.  How many networks jump on this model and how widespread the subscription idea becomes remains to be seen.  The financial implications of this will be interesting to track.  It would be fascinating to know if this does drive video piracy upwards and how quickly after the August 15th date that shift actually happens.

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