In today's episode of stupid corporate practices, we turn the spotlight on NBC and Cablevision. For whatever reason, NBC has decided to take one of the most talked about ice hockey games of the year and air it on MSNBC. I'm talking about the USA vs. Canada Olympic matchup, which is taking place right now (US 2 Canada 1, 1st intermission). Now, I don't have cable, because I just can't justify paying $90/ month for 100 channels of crap that I won't watch just so I can have one or two that I might. Besides, I can get most of the entertainment I want from Netflix. So you may be wondering how I know the score, or the time of the game: I'm streaming the game, live, on my computer, from Russian TV. Why Russian TV? Well, you see, Cablevision has decided that since I don't pay for the basic cable package, I don't qualify to stream the game on my computer. Yeah. That's right. If I had the cable package, I could just watch the game on my TV. But I can't even stream the game unless I have the basic cable package. Stupid, right?

Here's where it gets even worse: NBC could be making a ton of money from ad revenue on the streams. All they would have to do is make it free, and put ads at the beginning, and between periods. Just like Hulu. But no. These Olympics could be a boon to hockey in the US. NBC would stand to profit from that, since they own the NHL broadcast rights. But instead, they'd rather bury it on a cable channel most Americans can't even find (have you seen MSNBC's ratings lately? )

Well, that's my rant. We'll see where my email to Cablevision gets me (probably nowhere, but at least I'll feel better). Way to drop the ball, NBC. Maybe by the 2036 games you'll be up to speed. If you haven't gone out of business by then.

"Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future."

Niels Bohr (1885 - 1962)