Disney Strikes Against Net Neutrality

1 a bee writes "Ars Technica is running a story by Matthew Lasar about how Disney's ESPN360.com is charging ISPs for 'bulk' access to their content. According to the article, if you visit ESPN using a 'non-subscribing' ISP, you're greeted with a message explaining why access is restricted for you. This raises a number of issues: '... it's one thing to charge users an access fee, another to charge the ISP, potentially passing the cost on to all the ISPs subscribers whether they're interested in the content or not.' Ironically, the issue came to the fore in a complaint from the American Cable Association (ACA) to the FCC. A quoted ACA press release warns, 'Media giants are in the early stages of becoming Internet gatekeepers by requiring broadband providers to pay for their Web-based content and services and include them as part of basic Internet access for all subscribers. These content providers are also preventing subscribers who are interested in the content from independently accessing it on broadband networks of providers that have refused to pay.' So, is this a real threat to net neutrality (and the end-to-end principle) or just another bad business model that doesn't stand a chance?"

Well . . .

[arizwebfoot]

Isn't Disney a mickey mouse outfit anyway?

It's a feature!

[macemoneta]

No access to Disney content resulting in lower ISP charges? Win-Win! How do I sign up?

Re:Well, the cable industry should know.

[foo1752]

I don't understand your medical analogy. Please restate in the form of a car analogy. Thanks!

I hate the disney cult...

[t0qer]

I have relatives that worship Disney. They go to Disneyland 4-5 times a year, buy up every DVD they put out, and one of them even has their bathroom painted to look like a Dalmatian, with little Dalmatian statues scattered about everywhere. It's scary. That being said I hope this blows up in their face. I hope that people realize that the good wholesome fantasy world Walt set out to create is dead, and what's left is just a giant faceless corporation with their tentacles raping our society like a scene out of a Urotsukidji manga. It would be nice to see a boycott over this.

Re:Well, the cable industry should know.

[Ethanol-fueled]

These are the same folks who bought the last four copyright extensions with mass "secret" donations and visits by Disney-sponsored hookers to congressional offices.

So our congressmen are not only corrupt, they're also furries?!

Re:Well, the cable industry should know.

[DJRumpy]

"That's what you get when you elect a corrupt Chicago politician to the White House."

[Citation Needed]

Re:Well, the cable industry should know.

[ObsessiveMathsFreak]

I wouldn't waste a 2400bps connection on their drivel.

Here's three screaming kids. Your move.

Re:They're stuck in the tv mindsest

[DigitalSorceress]

Heck, I would PAY EXTRA if my cable company would remove all sports, shopping, and religious channels from my lineup.

yes, yes, I know I can just configure my DVRs to tell them I don't receive a given channel. I'm just saying that I'd pay extra on principle... sort of rewarding Comcast for significantly raising the collective IQ of the television signals coming into my house. :p

Re:Well, the cable industry should know.

[Anonymous Coward]

You seem like a very angry person. As a child were you molested by Mickey Mouse?

Re:Well, the cable industry should know.

[networkBoy]

no, he did a doggie sandwich with pluto and goofey. ;-)

My best friend was black!

[Anonymous Coward]

My best friend was black!

...Until I sold him.

Re:Block the site

[k10quaint]

If Comcast is going to muck with forwarding my packets, they should reroute requests for espn.com to cbssports.com. Hopefully Comcast and Disney both go nuclear, then Canada takes over the world.

Re:Well, the cable industry should know.

[Anonymous Coward]

Ok. Disney is to culture as sugar is to your gas tank. TADA!

Re:Well, the cable industry should know.

[KingMotley]

Citation needed.

Re:Well, the cable industry should know.

[Larryish]

I once heard a black college professor refer to Nelson Mandela as an "African-American".