Re[2]: commercialization of the Web

["Arlen P. Walker" <Arlen -dot- P -dot- Walker -at- JCI -dot- COM>]

      And PBS isn't non-commercial -
      it's very commercial, licensing rights for Muppets and Barney and the
      like - though just not very good at it.

This particular piece of misinformation has acquired the status of urban legend;
it's been repeated so long that people are now beginning to actually believe
it's true. (Sort of like the Good Times Virus, eh?)

Truth is, PBS doesn't see a nickel of the Barney/Henson/etc merchandising money.
That money all goes to the production companies. (I forget who Barney's producer
is, but the Muppets -- who have never had a show on PBS, BTW -- money goes to
Henson and Associates. It's true Henson has involvement with some CTW shows
which are on PBS, but merchandising from those shows still goes to CTW, not
PBS.)

Truth also is, the Internet has never been free. TANSTAAFL applies here as well
as everywhere else. It's always cost us money, whether we were conected to it or
not. It's just that in the early days the money was taken from us without our
having a choice in the matter (it's called taxes) then later it came buried in
the costs of goods and services we purchased. The debate now is simply over
whether it will continue to be that way, or move to being user-supported in some
manner. My guess is that the latter is inevitable, so we'd better be ready to
accept the democratization (small d) of the Internet Community.


Have fun,
Arlen
Chief Managing Director In Charge, Department of Redundancy Department
DNRC 124

Arlen -dot- P -dot- Walker -at- JCI -dot- Com
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