Virtual Pants

MG Siegler on why HBO is playing a dangerous game:

Cable television is going to be AOL’s dial-up business dining on the ignorance of the elderly as both sides slowly fade away.

HBO thinks they’re making the right call. And they’ve tricked plenty of others into thinking they’re making the right call. But they’re not making the right call. They’re making the wrong call disguised as the safe call.

The window to correct that mistake is ever more rapidly closing.

HBO doesn’t offer an option for cable-cutters to purchase content because they make more money through deals with the cable companies. The time will come when HBO can make enough money from cable-cutters to break their deal with cable providers. I predict that it won’t be long.