| i'm for 'a la carte' i'm all for a 'a la carte' picking of channels, even picking certain groups (maybe a sports package, entertainment, news, movies,etc.) would be great for me. i'm wasting my money on digital cable, but literally 98% of time is watching one of five channels.
i remember a news item on someone complaining that channels would disappear if a la carte is implemented, which is a real concern, but how much of a concern/problem that is, is not known for certain. i say implement a temporary 'a la carte' channel in selection scheme in various regions across the US, or even a massive poll of cable subscribers. this way everyone can see if 'a la carte' works or fails miserably.
seems like most of the talk is pure speculation with nothing to back it up |
fiberguyMy views are my own.Premium
join:2005-05-20
kudos:3 | It's not a matter of public opinion.. it's a matter of financial stability and if the industry could support that method.
If CABLE wanted to do this, which they don't, they would have a while ago and ONLY if the NETWORKS would allow it. Remember, in MOST cases, the carriers are just that.. they don't own many of the networks they carry. Cable and Satellite is the customer of the network just as you are the customer of the carrier. The real issue starts with the networks not wanting this.
Also, the FCC, or government in general, is not like business. They are not in the business of experimenting with anything. They talk, they study, they enact, it becomes law. If it fails, it will usually takes a long time to back out of it. Unlike business which does have the pleasure of 'trying things out'...
I do agree with you, however, that if there was ever going to be any more 'choice' passed on to the consumer, it would be in the form of genre tiers. Other than a forced upgrade path to higher tiers, which is business / marketing 101, I've never understood why they put some of the networks in the tiers they do in the first place.
What makes more sense, as you said, is to tier the programming together by genre.. all the news, children, family, sports, etc. In THAT situation, I think you'd give the consumer more control/choice while being able to maintain a needed level of revenue to run the company.
One thing that is for sure is that while more choice WILL wind up int he hands of the consumer, eventually, it won't be one that dramatically reduces the monthly bill of the subscriber.
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"Complaining is the least path of resistance for the self-serving, the lazy, and I’m told it’s a woman’s prerogative..." |
Sammer
join:2005-12-22
Canonsburg, PA | reply to cornelius785
I'm for a la carte too but the right way to do it is by Congress passing a law that effects both content providers and cable companies. Despite all the naysayers a la carte would not cause content providers or cable companies to go broke nor cause the world to end. It would just give cable consumers another choice. |
