But the planned takeover raises a number of thorny competition issues, including those of access to programming.
By requiring authentication to access live programming on new media devices, ESPN and its distribution partners are extending their lucrative pay-TV business model onto the Web as the Internet becomes a more mainstream place for consumers to watch video content and a potential replacement to traditional TV.
So whatever Apple or anyone else proposes to do in the way of providing the kind of flexible access to programming on demand that many cable subscribers say they want depends on the cooperation of the cable companies such as Comcast, Time Warner, Cox, Charter, and others.
You also have access to the programming guide, and a full remote control for familiar navigation.
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To access the online programming, Verizon customers must subscribe to FiOS TV.
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Using their Verizon Online user names and passwords, participating FiOS TV customers will be able to access the online programming at the networks' Web sites.
Somehow, contrary to what every consumer with an Android phone, iPad or unfathomable access to diverse programming content experiences every day, they find nothing but misery and despair.
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Another issue that investigators have asked about is whether cable companies are acting anticompetitively by making viewers have a cable subscription before being able to access certain online programming.
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Sesame Workshop relies on PBS to distribute its programming to U.S. children, and they both share a mission to provide all children, especially ones from lower-economic brackets, access to educational programming.
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Dish Network offers the sling DVR technology to its subscribers allowing them to remotely access pay-TV programming.
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To ensure access to newly exclusive programming, the FCC will rely on a case-by-case review of any complaints brought by distribution rivals.
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As a result, people in the affected areas are being denied reliable, regular access to the informative programming of these services in their native tongues and in English.
Unlike Time Warner Cable, which is offering an app that provides access to a limited array of live cable channels, Cablevision's app provides its customers with access to all the programming they receive on their TV through their cable box, including ESPN.
In the U.S., DIRECTV offers its 18.6 million customers more than 130 HD channels and Dolby-Digital(R) 5.1 theater-quality sound (when available), access to exclusive sports programming such as NFL SUNDAY TICKET(TM), award winning technology like its DIRECTV(R) DVR Scheduler and higher customer satisfaction than the leading cable companies for nine years running.
In the U.S., DIRECTV offers its 18.6 million customers access to 160 HD channels and Dolby-Digital(R) 5.1 theater-quality sound (when available), access to exclusive sports programming such as NFL SUNDAY TICKET(TM), award winning technology like its DIRECTV(R) DVR Scheduler and higher customer satisfaction than the leading cable companies for nine years running.
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Existing viewing features of the DISH Anywhere mobile app include the ability to watch live TV channels in a user's programming package via Sling technology, access their personal DVR and view up to eight days of network programming via PrimeTime Anytime.
Quick and easy access to films and television programming at a low monthly price, in one centralized website.
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"Mac OSX is attractive to developers because they can access not only the core programming languages but also the large selection of Unix libraries that are available, " he said.
Unlike Sony who hides their protocols, the WACI NX has an open protocol which you can access from just about any web programming language.
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Aereo uses specially designed equipment that crams 80 dime-sized TV antennas on a single circuit board and stores programming that users can access by logging in to a website.
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"This is a disappointing decision and could create a digital television divide by slowing or eliminating access to high-quality digital programming for some consumers, " the MPAA said in a statement.
Both Swartz and Anonymous have been stark proponents of open access to information and open-source programming.
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All DISH customers can access On Demand content associated with their programming package regardless of their set-top box model.
Additionally, Cablevision customers will have access to a variety of ABC News programming as well as some local ABC owned-station content.
Additionally, Xfinity TV customers will have access to a variety of ABC News programming as well as some local ABC owned-station content.
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ViP series has Ethernet connection and will allow them to connect to Internet video library and access to your DVR, even HD programming.
Sony has also included a service it calls iPEG, for Internet Electronic Program Guide, which provides access to an Internet-based TV programming guide.
"We are thrilled to continue our great relationship with Netflix giving their subscribers access to more and more of our programming, " said Ken Werner, President, Warner Bros.
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Unlike services like Facebook and Twitter, which invited third-party developers to build on top of their platform and then turned around and offered competing services, App.net is conceived as a pure API a set of programming instructions that let developers access a real-time feed.
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Besides obviously needing a CableCard-ready TV set (most new digital HDTVs have to have CableCard slots), there are a few downsides, like you can't access your cable company's onscreen programming guide and you can't order pay-per-view or video-on-demand programming (at least not using your remote), but the real deal killer for us is that you won't be able to use it with a digital video recorder.
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