Not only will this content be more expensive, but it will further threaten the pay-TV providers as it will give their subscribers an incentive to dropcable subscriptions, for example, and subscribe to Netflix.
Consumers can already obtain many broadcast-television programmes online, and the worry is that they will eventually drop their cable and satellite services.
Although there has been some cable cutting, in which consumers drop pay TV and either use antennas or run a service like Netflix through an Internet connection, traditional TV distribution has an insanely high rate of market penetration.
For their part, cable companies fear that people will become so accustomed to getting television and films online that they will drop their video subscriptions.