21st Century Takedown

21st Century Takedown
Number	145
Broadcast Date	October 21, 2013
Episode Length	1:22:02
Hosts	Brian Brushwood, Tom Merritt

Garry's Incident developers censoring criticism, EFF guide to YouTube removals, Netflix investors go nuts, and more.

Show Segments

Opening Video

YouTube Copyright School

The Big Story

• Day One: Garry's Incident developers censoring criticism. ^{[1] [2] [3]}
  • EFF Guide to YouTube Removals ^[4]
  • YouTube Copyright Policy ^[5]

Another Big Story

• Orange Is The New Black is Netflix's most-watched original, but their TV exclusives are even bigger. ^[6]
• Netflix hits its numbers, investors go nuts, Reed Hastings tells them to chill out. ^[7]
• Netflix could have more paid subscribers than HBO by the end of the year. ^[8]

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Slipstream

• Hulu names Fox executive Mike Hopkins as CEO. ^[9]
• NFL games on Netflix or Google? It could happen. ^[10]

Tube Tops

• Samsung set-top box uses mediocre Smart TV software to compete with Roku, Apple TV. ^[11]
• TiVo Premiere update coming with improved Netflix app, HD wishlists. ^[12]

Film Falm

• A child's recreation of Raiders of the Lost Ark spawns two Hollywood films. ^[13]
• Short that aired pre-Empire Strikes Back will come to Netflix, iTunes in 2014. ^[14]
• Nintendo would like to make an interactive Legend of Zelda movie. ^[15]

Scan Lines

• Netflix will experiment with DVD-style extras for originals, Android app gets UI tweaks. ^[16]
• Hulu Plus for iPhone adds support for Google's Chromecast. ^[17]
• comScore says AOL (including just-acquired Adap.tv) is the biggest video ad property in the US. ^[18]
• Many of the most-pirated movies aren’t available for legitimate online purchase. ^[19]
• Aereo comes to Detroit on October 28. Can it really hit 22 cities by the end of 2013? ^[20]
• New startup Groupflix is Netflix a la carte. ^[21]

2013 Winter Movie Draft

• (1) Casey = $175,965,665
• (2) Jeff = $52,443,328
• (3) Tom = $27,462,292
• (4) Brian = $17,025,267
• (5) Justin = $0
• (5) Fr. Robert = $0

Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa and The Counselor premiere this week.

What We're Watching

Brian

• In Bruges
• Gravity

Tom

• The Walking Dead
• Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D
• Haven

Feedback

• Aaron chimes in to recommend Babylon 5.

Hi Tom and Brian,

Several episodes ago, I recall some other listener had written in after either of you had mentioned difficulty in finding something really good to watch when you hit a lull. That listener had mentioned Babylon 5. I had written off B5 back when it came out in favor of Star Trek (the way only a teenager can apply zealotry to television franchises).

This last week I picked it up at the library. I'm one pilot, and 9 episodes in and I am blown away by the quality of the storytelling. For something that was made 20 years ago, it's an incredible show. If you haven't given it a shot, I will add my recommendation to your other listener's.

thanks for a great show, and a great community.

-Aaron E.

A large number of responses and reactions to last week's big story debate.

• Mark agrees with Tom.

Tom is right. That is all.

-Mark in Chicago

• Scott agrees with Brian

I agree with Brian.

• Michael agrees with Tom.

Hey Brian and Tom,

great show and debate. long time viewer first time emailer.

I think Netflix coming to cable as an app whether bundled or referral signup (cable gets a kickback for new subscribers) it is good for consumers especially those who never understood the whole roku/googletv/appletv concepts. like Tom says once folks realize they can watch that content not just on their crappy cable box interface but also on smart phones/tablets away from the house it starts planting the seed of cord cutting. It seems like it is also going to put the pressure on HBO to try and break free of the broadcast tier and maybe take that first step of highspeed internet/HBOGO bundling to get out on Netflix turf.

• An Anonymous Insider writes in to add context on the situation.

Let me first say, I'm a contractor for a cable company very similar to TWC and I too would like to see the breakdown of the cable industry as we know it.

I dont think all of the 67% of people that dont have Netflix, dont know what it is. If you already have a computer, tablet and/or smartphone then I'm pretty sure you know what Netflix is... So we have to know the percentage that has cable with no computer or smart device. Those are the people that are going to be ""discovering"" Netflix. I do not think it will lead to this group of people to discovering Hulu or Amazon either. If they didnt see commericals on cable to know what Netflix is, then they are not seeing the commericals for Hulu or Amazon either whether they have Netflix in their cable package or not.

• Corey just feels bad for Roku.

Hey guys,

There is only one loser in this whole battle over Netflix jumping on the cable boxes - Roku.

Having the availability to watch Netflix on all my TVs that have cable boxes is a lot cheaper than going out and buying a separate piece of hardware for each television in my house.

Thanks,

Corey Charette

• Kyle agrees with Tom.

Brian, it's just an app. Shut your face!

Haha! Love the show!

-Kyle V. Sent from my HTC One

• Phil agrees a little more with Brian.

You guys were FIGHTING on Framerate!

How cool is THAT!

Brian is a little more right than Tom here. Most people here in luddite 'murica are not going to make the mental leap from Netflix on their cable box to Netflix on the actual internet. They're going to use it, which benefits Netflix and Cable, but not the cord-cutter's ideal.

Phil Meadows

• Aaron agrees with Brian, but believes the two missed something in the argument.

Hey Brian and Tom,

While you guys were passionately arguing your positions about Netflix on cable set top boxes, I think you missed a big issue. If Netflix were to be integrated on these boxes, wouldn't the cable company have a decent amount of control over the interface and viewing experience? I would not put it past a behemoth like Comcast or time warner to screw with quality or interface to hurt people's perceived experience with Netflix. To the few people who have not used Netflix before, this could truly tarnish their brand. I agree with brian that Netflix has very little or nothing to gain from being on a cable set top box, and it does help the cable companies. Just my two cents.

Aaron from Philly

• Colin agrees with Tom.

Brian: I can't help but agree with Tom, Netflix has great recognition for its library depth and device ubiquity in the cord cutter world, but not necessarily in circles outside of it. By putting Netflix as an app on cable boxes, they can generate a swath of new users and new interest from the casual consumer. Consider when the first iPhone came out and it came with YouTube and Google Maps baked into it. There is no way that didn't help the casual users of the internet and internet services understand and be ""converted"" to using Google's services, and when Apple eventually wanted to compete with Google with their own Maps, Google was barely hurt from them removing the ""baked-in"" apps. Not only because they had them developed for the store already, but also because they could get their Google services when they wanted it, when they wanted it on whatever.... Netflix is not going to be tied down by this deal, and this is nothing but good for Netflix.

Tom: Brian makes a good point too. Although the reasons for cutting the cord are to ""save money and gain control of watching the things you want,"" Netflix is only a tool that can be used to cut the cord. I began my cord cutting journey because I, like Brian, hate spending that $80 a month. For too long I had been sitting with cable's ""tool-belt"": a clunky remote and an ugly cable box, so I went out and created my own set of tools: Netflix, Chromecast, Hulu, Areo and Frame Rate. Armed with these, I will be cutting the cord on November 1st. By taking this tool, Netflix, and putting it on their own ""tool-belt"" the cable companies are lulling the consumer into complacency. The argument for cutting the cord is not ""you can't get Netflix on your set top box,"" the argument for NOT cutting the cord is ""you CAN get Netflix on your set top box."" By adding Netflix to cable boxes, the already long and arduous conversation cord cutters will be having with cable companies will be getting longer, and the lazy consumers will continue to pay into the cable industrial complex.

Hope this proved useful in helping to settle your dispute, or at least see things from the other point of view. Please continue to make a great show!

Sincerely,

Colin from Houston

• Amber has a slightly different perspective on the argument.

Hi guys - I just wanted to chime in on the argument from last week's show - about Netflix on cable boxes. I think that I’ve got a slightly different angle for the argument which shows both sides of the battle.

Ideal for the cord cutter view:

The application sits on the desktop box. If you want Netflix, you have to set up a second payment every month… one with the cable company, one with Netflix. If you want to use your Netflix on your phone/computer/friend’s machine – then that’s fine, because you own the ID and you’ve paid for the service. If you cancel cable, you have your netflix ID and it doesn't disappear.

Ideal for the cable company view:

When you purchase your cable subscription, you can purchase an extra package that gives you a special cableID tied to your cable subscription that can access Netflix. It will be available as long as you are using your cable “stream” to get content. So no access via phone. No access via a computer if you’re using a different company for cable & internet.

I think Tom is hoping that it would end up being more like universe #1, where Brian was thinking that realistically, it would probably end up something much closer to universe #2. The cable company isn't going to just say ""Hey, come in, make yourselves at home, we'll leave you completely alone over in that corner"" and instead say ""If you want to live under my roof, you'll play by my rules, and I'll own some part of you"" which would be that the cable company would own the ID, not the customer.

It's like a really good deal on a domain hosting... they'll give you the domain name for free... but if you leave - they keep the name. So then the decision is: move to a different company, but go through the hassle of finding a new name, starting over with configurations, etc... or just stay put and continue paying the existing company. Sadly, too many people just continue paying.

Thanks for hearing me out,

Amber

• Tim would rather Brian and Tom stop fighting.

Gentlemen,

I'm 13 minutes into episode 144, recorded Monday October 14th.

All I would like to say is, I don't like it when mommy and daddy fight. (insert frowny emoticon here)

That is all.

-Tim McMahon

• Join the Frame Rate Chicken Challenge. Tell your story! ^[22]

The Spoiler Zone (Gravity)

This week Brian and Tom talk Gravity.

Links

• TWiT Episode Archive
• TWiT Wiki

Preceded by: "You Gonna Eat That?"

21st Century Takedown

Followed by: "Blood Butter"