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NCTA CEO Michael Powell on the legal and rights challenges facing the media industry as the technology changes.
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Let's get over to the man who is really in a -- position here running and CTA and all of the challenges he faces Michael Powell.
Of course former Anheuser is very deceived why you get to wear both -- you know you're on the FCC excited about it wanted to collect chairman title of that cycle in my outlook yeah.
-- you've got -- put one here lobbying on behalf of the cable idea but.
It's the biggest challenge that is facing these people out again we split it into distributors.
And the programmers the content people and of course the guys who run the broadband lines and get -- cable on the people's television -- So I think in many ways they actually have the same challenge which is you have a digital generation that's growing up with new expectations of the way they wanna interact with content where they want to see it.
You know my children do not accept passive couch potato experiences -- anymore they wanna be personalized they want experience personalized.
They want them interactive and increasingly they want to come on up.
So thawra creative.
Consumer electronic devices that they've come a lot and I wanna be able to see content interact with -- -- forms of both the content industry and the programming industry and got a migrate their way there to stay relevant and be at the cutting edge of communications consultant.
And that because some of them aren't intransigent and not about the fact that they understand this migration away from that couch and watching you know 42 inch screen but.
You've got people like Viacom suing Time Warner Cable because Time Warner Cable said hey at least within the home.
If somebody wants to get up off the couch and then watch their iPad in the backyard.
And watch that Viacom channel won't let them do it Viacom -- -- I think the thing we have to remember is whenever we go to a genuinely new space.
Right what part of the old rules apply what part don't.
That's a natural part of the business cycle right and so that you're gonna have natural disagreements.
About how far right carry over but I don't think that they -- one -- And their commitment and their understanding that they ultimately we'll be able to provide this experience.
I would predict where it -- great confidence.
In the very near future you will see all of that content making its way iPad iPad apps once they get the right things worked out and I think.
-- they're both committed to doing so.
There are a lot of threats right now everything from satellite television you've got Echostar right over my shoulder to.
On the phone lines are running all different kinds of things not to mention YouTube Netflix.
Amazon is coming -- -- -- the biggest threat to the cable industry right let's put.
Another way of competition I think -- things competition does is keep you from being complacent.
I think it's an industry that's been spurred by those competitive juices to be able to be pushing themselves and innovation.
I think if you think about online video got the world this to multi dimensional now you -- take something like online Netflix and say well it's a threat.
It can't be -- come on out I'm not a certain level that the same time -- the complementary opportunity that content runs over networks that we sell.
-- doesn't go over the topic goes over the infrastructure that we provide to the consumer.
And so as that could increase demand for that infrastructure has grown.
So the opportunity for our companies with the consumer side to sell higher package is more important sentence structure to them.
-- and to create opportunities for them to enjoy -- services I think at the.
Plus what you go to Washington to lobby you'll be talking to everyone I'm -- Julius genachowski of the SEC we just talked to him about that.
The T-Mobile AT&T merger and what happens if another.
Distributor wants to emerge with a contact -- -- a -- Comcast NBC.
What you.
Would you for those in the future.
Well it had learned a long time ago and -- that the antitrust division that it's impossible.
Did you hypotheticals about mergers and he opened boxes of documents.
I think big is not bad in and of itself.
But it's worth scrutiny.
And I think that we -- the -- you look for whether the mergers really when it's combined as an anticompetitive effect on consumers and it does it should be stopped.
But if it doesn't in this country and I'm proud to be a part we let those things go through and let -- provide services as well.
Free market does work certainly but there's talk about dish and DirecTV possibly merging -- -- -- in Abbott's office said -- we'll look at anything.
Would that be a merger mean those are the only two players really satellite television that that have meaningful numbers would that be something that would concern -- it's hard for me to say.
You know it changes the market structure has hit the market structure changes you've got new challenges it popped into those emerges that were once blocked by the government.
Whether they be approved today or whether the circumstances that change is not a decision for me to make.
But I do think Hummer like that or any other merger of that significance.
I have a lot of confidence in the government to scrutinize them -- -- and.
Read what role does the government should the government have in all of these people here all of these distributors and fat content people.
His government -- I mean are we trying to create jobs and let them run the ball and -- more things with the war opportunity you know.
I think so I think one of the things that I really encourage government data day as I said that in my speech today I hope they spend as much energy.
Using their leadership to -- regulations that are no longer relevant.
As much as they -- thinking it's an -- plant seeds for new regulations.
The biggest problem is not pro regulation or any regulation if the uncertainty of the future how can we be.
-- in being -- about what you're going to regulate and when you're asking companies to experiment take risk put capital on the ground not be sure they're getting a return on an investment.
Experiment with business -- the last thing you needed -- -- -- overhang about predicted judgments that ought to be regulated against in advance and that's what we'd like to.
Not I think -- Fox Business we applaud that that measured but certainly intelligent way of looking at they have some.
Michael thank you so -- -- joining us.
First on Fox Business Michael Powell.
The new president and CEO of you get the chairman's title I do -- do -- -- know I don't know I guess I see that the idea title of and safety and maintenance and good luck dealing with the -- -- from the cable the kind of battling it out at great.
