AMC Plans Ad-Free Streaming Service

Megalith

Megalith

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The Walking Dead network will be releasing a commercial-free online video streaming service, but it already sounds lame because it will be available only to cable TV subscribers. The service may offer exclusive digital content, but I think it would be a lot more attractive if they just let anyone buy into it.

Unlike standalone streaming options from Time Warner’s HBO and from CBS, AMC's would be exclusively available to consumers who subscribe to a cable TV package. AMC is doing this, the sources said, as a way to support the traditional cable television industry at a time when many younger consumers are increasingly cutting the cord. AMC is discussing featuring digital-only spinoff shows of its existing programs like The Walking Dead and is considering pricing between $4.99 to $6.99 a month, according to the sources, who cautioned final details are still being worked out.
 
So they want you to pay for something you are already paying for... because you want to watch it on your tablet or pc, or whatever.

Their solution to cord cutters... are to push more of what made people cut the cord in the first place? hah F em'

Who's willing to bet that on top of that fuckery, when you are streaming it, it will also count against some users already limited allotment of "free" bandwidth per month.
 
Yeah, I agree this is pointless.

The one and only reason for streaming services is because I DON'T WANT A CABLE SUBSCRIPTION.

I want to be able to choose a-la-carte exactly the shows I want to watch, when and where I want to watch them, available immediately on the same day they air on TV in any region.

I'm willing to pay well for this service, as I am sure are many others, but in the absence of that, I'm willing to bet most are willing to use other means to get what they want.

Piracy is not caused by people who don't want to pay. Sure, there are teenagers like that, but most grown ass adults can afford to pay for their content, and would actually like to support the shows they enjoy.

Piracy is a response by grown ass adults, able to afford to pay for the content, but sick and tired of being jerked around by exclusives, be they per platform, or per region, and packed with DRM that prevents fair use on any device at any time they want.


Here is what I want:
  • Single unified interface for all shows/movies from all sources. None of this, having to open a separate app for an HBO show, and a separate app for an AMC show, etc. etc.
  • No requirement to sign up for any plan or any cable subscription. This completely defeats the purpose.
  • No time based exclusives. No region based exclusives. No platform/hardware based exclusives. All content becomes available for everyone everywhere on every device the same instant it originally airs on TV, regardless of where in the world they are, or what device they are using to watch it.
  • No DRM. Once I pay for the content , I must be able to freely manipulate that content however I want, transferring it from device to device and converting it from format to format.

I don't think I'm alone. Until this happens, piracy will be a constant problem. People are fed up with this shit and are unwilling to put up with it anymore.

This old comic from The Oatmeal says it all.
 
it won't last very long, history channel did this for about a 8 months until their streaming service became more popular then the actual channel viewing. so they started using ad's, then 3 weeks later started refusing access if you had any adblocker enabled then about 2 months later increased ad's from 3 times an episode to 6 times an episode..
 
I don't watch AMC. Ever. They have literally nothing for me to watch that I can't find on another channel, usually without commercials.

For old Movies TCM is better. No commercials.
 
csgill75 said:
I don't watch AMC. Ever. They have literally nothing for me to watch that I can't find on another channel, usually without commercials.

For old Movies TCM is better. No commercials.
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Didn't they have that hit zombie series though? I heard it was popular. Not really my thing though.
 
I only watch the Walking Dead on it. And its already commercial free if you catch my drift.
 
Once Breaking Bad and Mad Men went off the air (the last season and a half was pathetic anyway) and I left AMC like a prude prom date. Walking Dead became trash the season they walked through the woods for 10 episodes like a segment from Survivor having girl talk about the other. Sometimes you just need to bury a show and move on.

AMC has such a massive audience of Walking Dead that they can do whatever they want to cash in the on the 'mainstream' market they capture. With ratings like that, anything you tie in with the show and charge money for people are going to buy (think apple watch) regardless of what it is or how good it is. What better way for an absent father to connect with his awkward punk daughter at college that he never really knew than to buy her affection with a monthly subscription to her favorite tv show walking dead that she can't watch on her dorm room tv but can stream now over the internets to her dormroom.
 
Zarathustra[H] said:
Didn't they have that hit zombie series though? I heard it was popular. Not really my thing though.
Click to expand...

I heard about that, but Zombie shows aren't my thing. I prefer my science fiction to be either in the Marvel Universe or Space based. I've watched some Breaking Bad on Netflix though.
 
This service is dead in the water. Cord cutters can get most of this content through various streaming services legal or not.
 
csgill75 said:
I heard about that, but Zombie shows aren't my thing. I prefer my science fiction to be either in the Marvel Universe or Space based. I've watched some Breaking Bad on Netflix though.
Click to expand...

Check out Into the Badlands. You won't be disappointed.
 
At least the pirated episodes wont have break cuts anymore... bahahahaah
 
People are just clamoring for yet another monthly payment, especially when they already have it, nicely done AMC. :stinkyfeet:
 
when it comes to content providers AMC are one of the most stuck up ones out there. Years ago we looked at offering TV service at my work and where going to go through a company for getting all content and having them manage the head end part. AMC doesn't allow you to get service like that and was going to make us have our own dish pointed at their satellite and our own decoders as they wanted full control over everything and thought allowing anyone in the middle would rip them off. They have also had their stuff dropped from dish network for almost a year due to thinking their content was so important that they deserved a premium payment for their content. They have a few popular shows, but nothing that is going to make that much of a difference. One day they will realize they are holding a pair of 3s and not a royal flush like they think.
 
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