Cordkillers (All Audio) Cordkillers 557: Licence to Bill
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Jul 2, 2025 
Join Justin Robert Young, a political commentator and podcaster, as he dives into the evolving media landscape. The discussion spotlight shines on C-SPAN's financial woes in an era dominated by streaming. Young explores innovative solutions for C-SPAN's future and the impact of AI on platforms like Prime Video. The conversation also touches on Denis Villeneuve's upcoming James Bond film and the shifting trends of social media, as well as how the TV subscription model is transitioning from bundling to a la carte options.
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C-SPAN's Funding Crisis Explained
- C-SPAN's funding heavily relies on cable subscription fees, which are declining with the cord-cutting trend.
- They face a critical challenge to secure similar funding from streaming platforms, which currently don't carry C-SPAN widely.
C-SPAN's Advertising Dilemma
- C-SPAN wants to introduce ads on their channel to streaming platforms to help funding, but ads clash with its ad-free mission.
- They worry about political influence and inappropriate ads interrupting serious programming like Congressional hearings.
Streaming Giants' Different Priorities
- Streaming services like YouTube TV and Hulu aren't as committed to public affairs programming due to different business models.
- Unlike cable, these companies don't face the same public access obligations, affecting C-SPAN distribution.