Bewkes Defends 'TV Everywhere'

NEW YORK Time Warner chairman and CEO Jeffrey Bewkes (shown) on Monday defended his "TV Everywhere" initiative that would require consumers have a pay TV subscription via a cable, satellite or telecom provider to view network TV content online.

"It's not something that's narrow-minded," he told the Deutsche Bank Media and Telecommunications Conference in Palm Beach, Fla., in reaction to criticism that he is looking to restrict people's online access to content. "It's very expansive."

Bewkes argued that the move would protect content creators and distributors and shouldn't affect consumers as most of them are multichannel customers anyway.

However, critics of the idea have complained that people who can't afford their pay-TV service anymore in this recession or otherwise choose to drop it won't be able to watch their favorite shows.

Bewkes on Monday once again argued it is too early to say whether the recent DVD sales slump is driven mainly by the recession or is part of an accelerating longer-term secular decline.

"You shouldn't rush for the exits yet," he said, noting that DVD sales contracted about 10 percent in the fourth quarter for the industry -- but only 4 percent so far this quarter. "It's reassuring actually," Bewkes concluded.