[Ecommerce] ESPN360 Charges ISPs to Offer Their Web Site

[Seth Johnson]

(Subscriber-only link.  -- Seth)

> http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115439535367922979.html?mod=rss_whats_news_technology

Snippet:

ESPN's charge-the-provider model has its roots in the
cable-television world, where cable channels charge cable or
satellite operators for the right to carry their programming. But
it is a revolutionary approach for the Internet, where commercial
Web sites are generally available to any consumers -- sometimes
free, sometimes not -- regardless of which Internet service they
use. So far, however, ESPN has yet to show the model can work on
the Internet. Only a few big Internet providers -- such as
Verizon Communications Inc. and Charter Communications Inc. --
have signed up to offer ESPN360. The biggest Internet providers,
such as cable operators Comcast Corp., Cox Communications Inc.
and Time Warner Inc., are refusing. "We do not like the current
business model that ESPN is using for ESPN360," said Scott
Hightower, vice president of data product development and support
at Cox Communications. He said the ESPN360 model would force Cox
to saddle its customers with unnecessary costs, because they will
inadvertently be paying for a service they may not want when they
sign up for broadband.