Comcast refuses to air DSL ads!

[bills976]

Now I've heard of taking advantage of natrual monopolies, but this one takes the cake:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/technology/2003-04-28-dsl_x.htm


Qwest Communications fired the first shot Monday in a potentially important fight over Comcast's refusal to air its DSL ads. DSL is the top rival to cable's lucrative high-speed Internet offering.
"By denying us access, you are blocking a customer's ability to learn about all the choices in the marketplace and to make an informed decision," Qwest CEO Dick Notebaert wrote to Comcast CEO Brian Roberts in a letter obtained by USA TODAY. "It smacks of censorship."

Notebaert didn't specify DSL; he mentions only "services." But he cites what Qwest says is a Jan. 28 memo from Comcast stating it will not accept "DSL only" ads. Ads for service bundles, the memo says, must limit references to DSL to 20% of the ad. Also, ads can't demean cable services or mention price.


Click the link for the rest of the article

[Cyclone]

It would be great if Qwest cut off all of Comcasts phone lines. And Verizon & SBC did the same.

[Danny R]

From your comments bill I take it you think Comcast is wrong.

I would have to disagree. If I owned a business I'd be pretty mad if I had to air a direct competitor's ads. I'd be willing to bet that not a single Comcast Cable Modem ad is on Qwest's DSL homepage either.

Qwest still has the option of going directly to individual stations to air its ad over Comcast's network, so its hardly a monopoly situation.

[bills976]

Originally posted by Danny R
From your comments bill I take it you think Comcast is wrong.

I would have to disagree. If I owned a business I'd be pretty mad if I had to air a direct competitor's ads. I'd be willing to bet that not a single Comcast Cable Modem ad is on Qwest's DSL homepage either.

Qwest still has the option of going directly to individual stations to air its ad over Comcast's network, so its hardly a monopoly situation.

I see your point, and it's valid to an extent. However I take a look at it this way. Let's use long distance companies as an example since I've received many solicitations in recent days to change my long distance. AT&T, MCI, Sprint, and all the other LD companies have to use Verizon's phone network to make solicitation calls to me regarding new "innovations" in long distance. Verizon happens to offer long distance calling in my area. Does Verizon have the right to block these calls because they offer their own long distance? Of course not. I don't see how that's different from Qwest or whomever wanting to advertise DSL service on Comcast cable.

-Mike

[waydwolf]

Originally posted by bills976


AT&T, MCI, Sprint, and all the other LD companies have to use Verizon's phone network to make solicitation calls to me regarding new "innovations" in long distance. Verizon happens to offer long distance calling in my area. Does Verizon have the right to block these calls because they offer their own long distance? Of course not. I don't see how that's different from Qwest or whomever wanting to advertise DSL service on Comcast cable.

-Mike

    Apples and oranges. Blocking actual communications of customers would be a federal offense. We're talking being forced to further someone else's commercial speech. You have a right to say something yourself. You have no right to force someone else to say it for you through their conduit. Comcast is well within their rights to refuse to carry advertising they do not agree with, do not like, etc. for any or no reason.

    As the other poster said, they can still advertise with the actual stations carried by Comcast. Only if Comcast were to censor the commercials aired by those stations would Comcast be in contractual violation, but a certain percentage of many stations' commercials may by contract be replaced with equivalent local Comcast-originated commercials.

[juan ellitinez]

WELLL WOULD DISH OR DIRECT AIR A COMCAST CABLE ADD??

[Mark Holtz]

I found another article (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=677&ncid=677&e=7&u=/usatoday/20030606/bs_usatoday/5220828), and this confirms what I had suspected.

AS you are no doubt aware, there are commercial slots which allow the local cable franchise to insert local advertising. With Dish and DirecTV, these slots are often used to promote premium channels, PPV programming, and informational slots (although sometimes they do get a advertiser. Anyone remember the Ener-X commcials on Dish Network?) Each channel appeals to a certain type of audience and demographic.

What is sounding like here is that Qwest wants to purchase local advertising slots on channels that would appeal to the viewers who would use the service. This is more likely to be MTV, SciFi Channel, and E$PN, and Comcast is saying no because it directly conflicts with their own broadband service.

Local cable inserts is not the only method. The advertiser can still purchase the ads on local TV stations or the national cable feeds, and the local cable company cannot black out those commercials.

[Homer]

If the company spends their money to broadcast their shpiel to the network, there is nothing to stop them. because of the re-trans agreements, but companies can decline advertising dollars from a competitor.