[mythtv-users] Pay for listings [was Zap2it Labs Shutting Down?]

[Stephen Boddy]

On Wed, 2007-06-20 at 09:38 -0700, Brad DerManouelian wrote:
> On Jun 20, 2007, at 9:13 AM, Jay R. Ashworth wrote:
> > Um... who does *TMS* get it from?
> >
> > Multiple sources?
> >
> > Cheers,
> > -- jra
> 
> TV networks deliver the information directly to TMS who then assemble  
> the listings in a standard format. Staff writers then edit or create  
> descriptions of multiple lengths (depending on where it's being  
> delivered) then the information is distributed to many different  
> outlets. At least this is how it was done 4 years ago when I met with  
> them. I was working for a company (now out of business) that was big  
> into metadata management so we got a close look at how they operate  
> the TV listings in trying to sell them our software for importing  
> data from multiple sources into a standard schema, editing the  
> metadata and redistributing in multiple formats.

So the two significant questions are:
1 - Are the TV networks restricted to providing information only to TMS?
(i.e. an exclusive contract)
2 - Do the listings provided to TMS generate a revenue stream for them?
(TMS pay direct, or revenue share with the station.)

If not then a long term option is to create a P2P app which allows
crypto signed channels of information that a library could subscribe to.
Then go to the station, and as a community offer to do the work of
writing the wrapper that will convert their internal metadata format to
xmltv standard, and then auto-post to the P2P channel.

They get to reach more people, (not just mythtv) at a negligible cost in
terms of manpower, processing time, and data bandwidth.

I have no vested interest in this at this time, as my system is in the
UK (big-ups to Radio Times), but as shown, the future is never certain.

Steve