In the prototype, CourseKit posted these items as a so-called stream meaning the content appeared to users in the order in which it was originally posted.
The transaction costs of getting carriage on a major cable system are radically higher than the transaction costs of providing video content directly to consumers via the Internet, meaning that niche content and services are at a systematic disadvantage on proprietary video systems.
Lastly, they put themselves in a position of weakness in negotiating for new content, meaning they will have to pay more than they want (or maybe can) in order to secure the streaming content their disgruntled subscriber base wants going forward.