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Comments on news posted 2005-12-15 13:06:03: We've been discussing "a la carte" cable programming for years, with the understanding it meant being able to pick only the channels you wanted to watch - in order to save money on your cable bill. ..

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YeaButIwould
@208.17.x.x

YeaButIwould

Anon

FCC

The FCC also said it would not approve the sale of Adelphia to Comcast/TimeWarner unless they put an effot to start "cleaning" up violence and sex on CABLE TV! A Pay service remind you!

What right do they have to do this to a PAY service?

hobgoblin
Sortof Agoblin
Premium Member
join:2001-11-25
Orchard Park, NY

hobgoblin

Premium Member

Re: FCC

said by YeaButIwould :

The FCC also said it would not approve the sale of Adelphia to Comcast/TimeWarner unless they put an effot to start "cleaning" up violence and sex on CABLE TV! A Pay service remind you!

What right do they have to do this to a PAY service?
Link?

Hob
Zoder
join:2002-04-16
Miami, FL

Zoder to YeaButIwould

Member

to YeaButIwould
That's nothing new for the FCC.

Back in the 90s they wouldn't approve the purchase of radio stations by Infinity Broadcasting or approve license renewals for existing stations until they paid the fines for Howard Stern broadcasts.

CEO Mel Karmazin wanted to fight the indecency charges in court but decided to pay up once they began extorting him with his licenses.
Zoder

Zoder

Member

Re: FCC

Here's a link to what the OP mentioned. »www.latimes.com/business ··· ss-enter

hobgoblin
Sortof Agoblin
Premium Member
join:2001-11-25
Orchard Park, NY

hobgoblin

Premium Member

Re: FCC

said by Zoder:

Here's a link to what the OP mentioned. »www.latimes.com/business ··· ss-enter
As I thought the OP was wrong

"The Federal Communications Commission has warned the nation's two leading cable TV companies that unwanted conditions could be imposed on their proposed acquisition of a rival if they do not agree to curb the proliferation of sexually explicit programming, according to company sources"

Unwanted Conditions.....not "The FCC also said it would not approve the sale of Adelphia to Comcast/TimeWarner "

Thanks

Hob
Expand your moderator at work

calvoiper
join:2003-03-31
Belvedere Tiburon, CA

calvoiper to hobgoblin

Member

to hobgoblin

Re: FCC

Yeah, big effing difference.

It's like the difference between your mother saying "you can't go out," and having her say "you can go out, but only after you mow the yard at the community center for free, donate 40 charity hours to the library, agree to join the junior choir at church AND you have to take your little sister and her friend along and help them buy clothes."

Some conditions just aren't worth it--especially when they involve the questionable expansion of the underlying agency's jurisdiction.

calvoiper
Hickerx2
God Bless The U.S. Military
join:2001-03-04
Franklinville, NY

Hickerx2

Member

Re: FCC

You'll find that he loves to argue semantics.

In any event, the FCC is blackmailing CC and TW. It's no doubt politically motivated.

As a business owner, I can understand that true "al a carte" pricing probably won't work. I think that the cable co's should become a "carrier", much like the utility co's and force the ESPN lovers to pay a subscription directly to ESPN(for example).

hobgoblin
Sortof Agoblin
Premium Member
join:2001-11-25
Orchard Park, NY

hobgoblin

Premium Member

Re: FCC

Hicker wandered in to post

"You'll find that he loves to argue semantics."

I like accuracy.

Hob

calvoiper
join:2003-03-31
Belvedere Tiburon, CA

calvoiper

Member

Re: FCC

I like accuracy when it makes a difference. When it doesn't, it's as annoying as having someone correct my statement that they showed up at a quarter after two by telling me that they arrived at 2:15 and 27 seconds.

calvoiper

kamm
join:2001-02-14
Brooklyn, NY

kamm to hobgoblin

Member

to hobgoblin
said by hobgoblin:

said by Zoder:

Here's a link to what the OP mentioned. »www.latimes.com/business ··· ss-enter
As I thought the OP was wrong

"The Federal Communications Commission has warned the nation's two leading cable TV companies that unwanted conditions could be imposed on their proposed acquisition of a rival if they do not agree to curb the proliferation of sexually explicit programming, according to company sources"

Unwanted Conditions.....not "The FCC also said it would not approve the sale of Adelphia to Comcast/TimeWarner "

Thanks

Hob
Classic BS. There's no real difference in their case.

yeabutiwould
@208.17.x.x

yeabutiwould to Zoder

Anon

to Zoder
Thanks for the link.
sweepy4
join:2003-12-12
Apex, NC

1 edit

sweepy4

Member

Naturally

They are looking to appease the Religious Right under the guise of ala carte.....FCC must have got a call from W at the White House........"take care of my peeps" he said. Since I bungled the war I need some redemption........

YeaButIWould
@208.17.x.x

1 recommendation

YeaButIWould

Anon

Re: Naturally

Exactly. This is more about the FCC appeasing the Parent council and those 'extremists' aka : holier-than-thou Christians who think they know what is good for everyone. Where do these people get off? It is PAY SERVICE. if you don't like it, CANCEL!

P.S.

I think this is just the beginning, the first step because now some senator/congressman/con wants to regulate Satellite Radio too, from what I hear.

Now, I don't listen to Howard Stern, but I would defend him. And now they want to chase him over to Sirius to regulate him there too. Dont they have anything better to do?

CableConvert
Premium Member
join:2003-12-05
Atlanta, GA

CableConvert

Premium Member

Re: Naturally

I prefer the term "Jesus Freaks" myself
Scilicet (banned)
Spaced Out
join:2005-04-11
Aurora, CO

Scilicet (banned) to sweepy4

Member

to sweepy4
You've got to be kidding! The non-religious right likes to claim their 1st amendment rights for their special issues, so why can't another group have their rights presented as well? I think that it is just the term religious, which you apparently disagree with, is the real problem here.

LookNow
@208.17.x.x

LookNow

Anon

Re: Naturally

Look, I don't want to get into a pissing match. I do what I like, and whats good for me. I mind my buisness. I don't moan and preach about what someone should do/listen to/watch. Do you?

Do you think that pay TV should be censored? I don't. I just wouldnt watch it. I'm not left or right. The majority of both are full of it. I don't agree with a group of anyone telling me "You shouldn't be able to see/hear that because it's obscene."
TehLiberal
join:2005-06-07
Morgantown, WV

1 recommendation

TehLiberal to Scilicet

Member

to Scilicet
I don't see how it is legal for anyone to express their opinion by silencing everyone else's. That's exactly what 'the right' is doing. You know, religious freedom means freedom FROM your religion, too. If you're so worried about your family being affected by violence, etc. on TV, then why not raise your kids to know right from wrong? It shouldn't be the rest of the nation's burden to make sure your kids never see anything bad in their lives so your faulty parenting doesn't show.
I don't care for the trash on TV, but that doesn't mean that I'm going to push my likes and dis-likes upon everyone else.
NoamChomskee
join:2005-12-15
Morgantown, WV

NoamChomskee

Member

Hi.

I live in Morgantown too.

Carry on,
Mark P
r8drfan4ever
join:2003-01-13
York, PA

r8drfan4ever to sweepy4

Member

to sweepy4
So anyone who opposes violence and sex on TV is part of the religious right? That's a gross generalization.
Scilicet (banned)
Spaced Out
join:2005-04-11
Aurora, CO

Scilicet (banned)

Member

Re: Naturally

And I agree!

fundamentals
The Basics
Premium Member
join:2004-04-30
Moorpark, CA

2 recommendations

fundamentals

Premium Member

Corruption

This FCC administration has to be one of the most corrupt government entities i have ever seen. Every ruling and decision they make seems to be as anti-competitive, anti-consumer as they can make it. The worst part is that, since companies like Time-Warner own the content as well as the infrastructure, Joe average will never hear about any of this.

cdru
Go Colts
MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN

cdru

MVM

You know you're not going in the right direction..

...when you give the PTC what they want ("family" tv) and you still piss them off.

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5

Premium Member

a la carte never coming from the FCC

The FCC is never going to force a la carte on cable or telco TV providers. If that is to happen, it would have to come in a law passed by Congress and signed by the President. And even then I suspect the cable and telco industries would get the law declared unconstitutional as an interference in the rights of private corporations to set prices as they see fit.

jsimmons
MVM
join:2000-04-24
Falls Church, VA

jsimmons

MVM

Re: a la carte never coming from the FCC

I can't wait for the day I go to the grocery store and try to buy a loaf of bread... only to find I have to also buy milk, a dozen eggs, and a pound of bacon to get it (I'm sorry sir, bread is only sold as part of the "breakfast" bundle). Cable co's say they do this to save the consumer money. Maybe so... but that doesn't make it right. They can sell bundled packages all they want, but they should still offer ala carte (like the phone companies do for phone service).
fiberguy2
My views are my own.
Premium Member
join:2005-05-20

fiberguy2

Premium Member

Re: a la carte never coming from the FCC

said by jsimmons:

I can't wait for the day I go to the grocery store and try to buy a loaf of bread... only to find I have to also buy milk, a dozen eggs, and a pound of bacon to get it (I'm sorry sir, bread is only sold as part of the "breakfast" bundle). Cable co's say they do this to save the consumer money. Maybe so... but that doesn't make it right. They can sell bundled packages all they want, but they should still offer ala carte (like the phone companies do for phone service).
You're being ridiculous.

G_Poobah
join:2004-01-17
Schenectady, NY

2 recommendations

G_Poobah to FFH5

Member

to FFH5
As usual, your script has no bearing on reality. You should call your pimps over at adelphia and ask them to send you an updated script so you can astroturf better, all these lame old arguments get no mileage anymore. You've got to earn the kickback money somehow.

Show me where it's 'unconstitutional' for the government to interfere with the rights of a private corporation to set prices? They do it ALL the time. The do it right now to my electric bill! They do it to my gas bill! They do it to my telephone bill! ANY time there is a monopoly/duopoly situation, the government has a right, nay, an OBLIGATION to step in and ensure the customer benefits. The FCC was created to SERVE THE PUBLIC GOOD. The FCC as it exists today is a bastardized mouthpiece for the corporate shills.

jsimmons
MVM
join:2000-04-24
Falls Church, VA

jsimmons

MVM

Re: a la carte never coming from the FCC

said by G_Poobah:

The FCC as it exists today is a bastardized mouthpiece for the corporate shills.
Sad, but true.

Fatal Vector
join:2005-11-26

1 edit

Fatal Vector

Member

Re: a la carte never coming from the FCC

BUZZZZZ! Incorrect.

The FCC was formed, in the beginning, to address massive interference problems when radio was just beginning in the 30's and all broadcast stations were operating on 813 Khz.

Which is where the "Communications Act of 1934" came from, creating what was then known as (if memory serves) The Federal Radio Agency. It is the communications act, as amended, that gives the FCC it's authority to regulate OVER THE AIR radio and TV in the form of licenses to use said airwaves. The FCC does not have the authority to force cable companies to do much of anything, as they only carry TV signals and swatellite signals that are encrypted and not, therefore, available to the public and, certainly not to hold up mergers unless they bow to what amounts to extortion, which would set a precedent....and we know about precedents, dont we?

But then, as the article in the link pointed out, there allready IS a precedent from the last time the FCC tried this sort of thing and the Supreme court said no, no, you naughty boy. Cant do that.

Martin, if he is half smart, which he obviously is, knows this. He is just pounding his chest in the hopes that the companies will cave in, and then, not go to court later (which they will).

Bottom line in any industry is that if you do not cater to your customers, you do not survive and, as much as one might not like the current structure, the underlying fact is that it works and suits most customers. As the article points out a number of times, a large part of the current structure/costs is contractual between program providers and cable companies.

If this serves to do anything, it should be to rattle the cages and when contract renewal time comes, changes will be a coming and, hopefully, dumb marginal channels (such as Trio recently) will go bye bye to the relief of all.

No matter what happens, dont expect your cable TV bill to go down any time soon.
IanR
join:2001-03-22
Fort Mill, SC

IanR

Member

We are in an interim period

We are in an interim period for the Satellite companies as they have been slow to upgrade their video images to a decent standard and add HD content. Once they get this online properly and the hardware becomes reasoably available at decent prices then we will see competition hold down consumer prices and see decent offerings. Right now the "industry" can dress up these changes and claw more revenues. That won't last when we get real competition between IPTV and Cable and Satellite.
Well thats' my sincere feeling and part hope.

GilbertMark
Premium Member
join:2001-05-02
Gilbert, AZ

GilbertMark

Premium Member

Ack.

Well Comcast is about to lose an expanded basic customer with these rate hikes. With the iTunes store carrying Battlestar Galactica the day after it airs goes my only reason for having expanded basic cable: to get the SciFi channel. Comcast must hate NBC now. Buh bye dinosaur.

I'd love to have a la carte. I get 3 PBS stations, at least 4 shopping channels, a gaggle of Spanish language channels and Chinese language channel, too many CSPANs and too many sports channels that I don't want. Stop telling me programming costs are going up. I don't care. Do we really need a golf channel? Why not a paint drying channel too? Give me only what I want and have some kind of flat rate per channel selected instead of charging me for all the superfluous programming.
averagedude
join:2002-01-30
San Diego, CA

1 edit

averagedude

Member

Re: Ack.

Forget packages with pre-set channels
I was thinking of something like:
Choose your own (mix and match) channels/video/music
first 10 channels @ X$$
first 20 channels @ Y$$
first 30 channels @ Z$$...

With a discount the more channels you get.
My family really only watches 10 or less channels.
I don't get why I have to pay for 30 to watch 10?
Angrychair
join:2000-09-20
Jacksonville, FL

Angrychair

Member

Doesn't sound like such a great deal to me.

My "a la carte" is dumping cable tv all together. I did it years ago. I'd like to watch some things, but as long as I can't just get the channels I want at a reasonable price (lower than what I was paying before, since I'd have less channels), I don't see any reason to pick cable tv back up.
BrotherJPW0
join:2003-11-27
Glen Ellyn, IL

BrotherJPW0

Member

WHAA? MENS PACKAGE

All I watch is sports and movies.

I want a sports package and movie package.
I want the "MENS" package.

ESPN
ESPN2
NFL Network
SPEED
TNT
USA
TBS
WGN
ABC
CBS
NBC
FOX
HBO Networks
Showtime Networks
Comcast Sports Net Chicago

I would pay $40 to $45 for this.
I do not want shopping channels, music channels, CSPAN NETWORKS, GameSHOWs, Nickforkids, Disney channels, and BET

•••••••••
jimness0001
join:2005-03-28
West Chicago, IL

jimness0001

Member

Conspiracy Theory

Come on, Karl, the idea that the FCC gets together in a smokey back room with the cable companies and finds ways to get prices up is silly.

Yes, full ala carte would probably decrease prices, but there would be a bunch of cable networks going out of business if people had to explicitly choose them. I know I only consciously watch about 10 of my Comcast Digital channels. I would not choose the rest from a list and without subscribers they won't exist.

FCC is sensitive to losing those channels and is trying to find a middle ground. I'd be happy with more tiers, and fewer "basic" and "extended basic" channels, as a compromise.

And, if that keeps the Christian Right's fingers off my cable box, better yet.

••••••

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

pnh102

Premium Member

Why wait for the FCC?

Anyone who waits for the government to solve his/her problems will always be disappointed. If you hate how your cable company has hiked rates, then you should cheerfully respond by cancelling their service.

Alpine6
Premium Member
join:2000-01-11
Atlanta, GA

1 edit

Alpine6

Premium Member

Re: Why wait for the FCC?

said by pnh102:

Anyone who waits for the government to solve his/her problems will always be disappointed. If you hate how your cable company has hiked rates, then you should cheerfully respond by cancelling their service.
By FAR the most intelligent thing posted on this subject.

The difference in tone is hilarious here. Two weeks ago everyone was cheering the FCC and saying how good a la carte would be for consumers. The more far-sighted amongst us warned that the cable and telcos would never let their revenues drop but people were very giddy about the possibilities.

Now, the predictions have played out and people are back to cursing the FCC and accusing the corporations of incredible greed (as if they're supposed to be non-profit organizations.)

Like the man said - if you don't like it, cancel.

I tell you - the ridiculous comments around here are always good for a nice laugh...

Adam

ButtButtNoNo
@208.17.x.x

ButtButtNoNo

Anon

God is in my TV

Alacarte won't work. There would never be any new channels. If you subscribe to only a few channels, how will a new channel get off the ground? Also, what would you pay for a single channel? What channel should cost more than another? Or would they all be the same price?

Cable isn't that bad IMO, my bill is roughly 140 a month. So thats like what, 4.66 a day??? Not bad, I pay more in tolls going to work a day.

But, this is just my opinion.

•••••

JTRockville
Data Ho
Premium Member
join:2002-01-28
Rockville, MD

1 recommendation

JTRockville

Premium Member

Let Your Voice Be Heard

HearUsNow.org, a project of the Consumer's Union, has a message you can send to Congress and the FCC regarding a la carte cable:

»secure2.convio.net/cu/si ··· y&id=313

TechyDad
Premium Member
join:2001-07-13
USA

TechyDad

Premium Member

Think of the children?

Apparently, this time "Won't someone please think of the children" is working for something I support. I'm not sure how I feel about that.
Zoly
join:2004-01-04
Houston, TX

Zoly

Member

a-la carte

ok then. I want this package:
Deutche Welle,
CBC
MTV Europe
MTV Hits
TVM3
TV1000
Sky News
CNN International
Comedy Central
MGM
VH1 Europe
TV1
NTV
Rambler TV
Corbina TV
BBC Prime
BBC One
BBC World
Tennis Channel
LOGO TV
Here TV

and for HBO I pay anyway

What? I have a right to pick only those channels I want to pay for!!!

richardpor
Fur it up
join:2003-04-19
Portland, OR

richardpor

Member

WHy do we need FCC

Why do you libs want to evolve government when thing do not go your way. Frankly you all are a bunch of hypocrites. On one hand you want government to get involved when you own ox is gored by rising rates or not providing A La cart pricing, then turn around and scream free speech when then same FCC want to ban indecency.

Do you be like the BBC where at onetime a government regulated broadcast system only gave you 4 channels? I do not want FCC or any government to tell private businesses what channels to carry or their price. There is no constitutional right to cheap cable. If you do not like the new pricing then take you cable box back and go get a the dish.

For me I will re assess the situation. If the price is too high I am going to end my cable subscription and go back to Verizon for my broadband. If Comcast start losing customers for jacking up prices then believe me they will start listening.

••••••••••••

GreggE
Let me think..
Premium Member
join:2003-06-01
Mid Tenn

GreggE

Premium Member

How bout this?

They should set up a standard price like iTunes does. Maybe a $1 a channel for regular and $1.50 for premiums and you pick from a list of say 200 channels. If the cable companies want more money, offer better channels - if the channels want more money, offer a better product. I've got probably 200 channels and watch maybe 30 of them...some I have never watched and have no intention of ever watching.

Some channels should be a credit on your bill as well. Like home shopping networks. They are the ones that benefit from being in my home.

•••

gwion
wild colonial boy

join:2000-12-28
Pittsburgh, PA

gwion

Hey... let's just change the subject ! Yeah !

... that's the ticket, yeah.

Well, it would be just great if family friendly programming were ever the main issue at the core of the ala carte push. Since it isn't, I think this goes down as the world champion of diversionary tactics. If you don't like the possibilities, tacitly and completely reframe the initial question into something altogether different, then answer it... when I use a word, Humpty Dumpty said, it means precisely what I choose it to mean, no more and no less... Really, I wonder if they get it, at all, or not?

It's a great idea, but it's not an "alternative" to ala carte, in addressing the underlying issues... it's a diversion, at best, from ala carte, or a bargaining chip, offered instead of, not as a way of providing a different solution to the same problem; it's simply a fantastic solution, to a different problem. An answer to a question we never asked... great.

MacLeech
The one and only
Premium Member
join:2001-07-14
SoCal

1 recommendation

MacLeech

Premium Member

Cable should go IPTV ASAP.

Cable should just become the pipe to the content providers and maybe a bundle reseller of the more popular channels.

Let the customers buy the content direct from the producers of it, stream it down the pipe, to an IP enabled TV or DVR.

The cable companies could become resellers if enough interest is shown in certain channels to offer discounted bundles. Allow cable companies to do local add insertion on those resold bundles and the price may come down even more.

fcc2step
@71.125.x.x

fcc2step

Anon

a la rip off

Cable TV is going the way of the dinosaur anyways. Loads of content will be freely available on the internet already. If the cable industry doesn't realize this reality and give consumers what they want, then the internet will run roughshot over them and devalue their content. People think it's only singe vod type content that can be xmitted, but entire framed streams of cable channels could be streamed, real-time xmitted with ZERO revenue to a cable company for that stream. SO, hold price hikes and bad service over the consumer's head for too long and another industry will LOSE its bread and butter.
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