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From: daver@hp-pcd.UUCP (daver)
Newsgroups: net.tv
Subject: Re: Orphaned Response - (nf)
Message-ID: <4360@hp-pcd.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 22-Jan-84 03:59:12 EST
Article-I.D.: hp-pcd.4360
Posted: Sun Jan 22 03:59:12 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 23-Jan-84 04:37:53 EST
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#R:sdccs5:-113700:hp-kirk:15600009:37777777600:1361
hp-kirk!daver    Dec 30 15:10:00 1983

There are broadcast pay-tv systems which use decoder boxes each of which has
its own electronic ID.  The station broadcasts addressed commands to enable
or disable the decoder box depending on which services the subscriber pays
for.  A scheme like this could select among low-bandwidth signals on some
subcarrier or during retrace time to broadcast targeted audio, possibly with 
slow-scan pictures.

What would really make sense for some network, especially NBC - the one on the
bottom, would be to give up on the general mass market and target programming
to specific special-interest audiences.  Since the audience would be select
rather than general, advertisers would pay a higher CPM (cost per thousand
viewers) so the network could make money on the smaller audience.  The target 
audience would almost certainly be people with lots of disposable income, and 
the principal competition would probably be PBS and cable stations.  A 
different audience could be targeted each night (e.g.  one evening lineup 
devoted to business, another to science, one to opera, etc.).

This is an experiment which could be tried a little at a time; choose an 
evening when the competition is showing their "blockbusters" (Dukes of Hazard,
etc.), target the entire lineup to a specific special-interest audience and
see what happens.

Dave Rabinowitz
hplabs!hp-pcd!daver