Do You Pay EXTRA for Fox News Channel?

None | April 12, 2002 | who knows what evil?

[who knows what evil?]

I am really getting fed up with Comcast Cable. The people of east Tennessee have been fighting with Comcast for a couple of years to get them to add Fox News Channel to their line-up. Last year, we were "promised" that FNC would be added to the cable system in February 2001. Then we were told that "negotiations had fallen through", and that there would be NO Fox News Channel for the foreseeable future. On several subsequent occasions, staffers at our local Com(mie)cast office told me "not to hold my breath" while waiting for FNC to be added to our local line-up. Now, after several years, Fox News Channel is being added to our local cable system; effective April 19th. The problem? If you want access to FNC, you will have to pay an ADDITIONAL $9.95 per month for their "value package upgrade" because that was the "only place they could make room for FNC in their line-up". My BS detector went off. My understanding is that Comcast locations in other areas around the Southeast, including Nashville, receive FNC as part of their basic package. (In other words, on the same plateau as MSNBC, CNN, CNBC, and so forth.) I asked the office manager why we had to pay for an upgrade, when other Comcast customers didn't have to. The buck was passed on to an out-of-town Com(mie)cast contact. My question is: how is FNC handled on other cable systems around the country? Are other Freepers paying premium prices for FNC? I just don't feel one should have to pay a premium price for one news network when you don't have to for others. Feedback?

[who knows what evil?]

The increased cost to my cable bill will now make the Dish Network (which also carries FNC) a more viable financial option. It isn't the $9.95 in additional expense that bothers me as much as the principles involved. I would just like to know why they can't add FNC to their basic line-up with CNN and the other networks. I can't get a straight answer out of them. Are east Tennessee Comcast customers, as another poster stated the other day, "getting screwed"?

[VA Advogado]

Its worth it. However, I feel for you. You Volunteers can't afford that luxury stuff when you have Governor Sunquist's tax hikes to pay for.

[Henchster]

In my homeowners association, we get free cable TV. Unfortunately, it's Time-Warner (Ted Turner CNN) and they refuse to put Fox on.

I bought a dish, mounted it on my roof where all the other homeowners hate looking at it, and told the board when they get Fox on the cable, I'll take the dish down. (And save $40 a month)

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

On Comcast Cable, North Charleston SC., the Fox News Channel is part of the basic cable package. There are no extra fees to get it.

[Clara Lou]

Yes, with Cox cable here in Texas, FNC is 2nd-tier-- I have to pay more to get 2nd-tier channels in addition to the basic channels.

[jwalsh07]

I couldn't get it in Ct either so I went the DISH route.

[buckman10_2000]

my cable company has FNC included in its package.Unfortunatly ,CNN is in there too

[thucydides]

Suggest you tell them you are switching to satellite because of the charge.

[SoDak]

I always worry that I will end up in a motel without FNC when I travel for work. I even ask ahead when I book my rooms. I'll go to a higher end place and pay the premium to get it. My cable system has carried FNC since it became available, and viewership is big in this area. O'Reilly read a letter of mine on the air one night and I had 20+ e-mails the next day from friends saying they'd seen it. It's a pure programming decision when cable companies don't carry it.

[NYS_Eric]

To get Fox on Dish Network, you have to subscribe to the "Top 100" instead of their more basic "Top 40". It is the ONLY reason I get the Top 100, and I too wish it was in the basic package. It's watched by more viewers than CNN, yet CNN gets their flagship channel PLUS Headline News included in the basic. Makes no sense at all.

[Tom D.]

Get a dish. The way to deal with folks with products you do not like is to forsake them for the folks who provide you with the products you want. By leaving cable and joining the dish people you do two things: First, you quit subsidizing the folks who do not offer what you want or whom you have to beg (with appareny limited success) to carry what you want; Second, you pay other folks to do what you want done.

[CholeraJoe]

Dish is my only option where I live in Montana. I'll never go back to cable.

[agitator]

My folks are in eastern TN and the town has been getting the runaround from those useless butt-heads at ComCast on why they won't put FNC in the lineup. ComCast is the greediest, most half-a$$ed cable company in the country and the only reason I would ever recommend them is if DSL isn't available in your area and you wanted hi-speed internet. If you can't get dsl and don't care if you're on a dial-up, call ComCash, tell them they suck & to disconnect you, then tell them you're calling their competition to get a dish.

[BrooklynGOP]

Still no Fox news in brooklyn (cablevision)

[buffyt]

I have to pay about $35 a month to get "expanded basic cable" which includes Fox News. But it is worth it. It about all we watch. Sitcoms are so trashy these days. We do enjoy HGTV and Rick Steves European Travel shows on PBS.

A few months ago a local girl ran for Miss USA and we watched Stephanie that night on TV. She was named first runner up. But I know she was the MOST beautiful! She works out at the same gym I work out at and she is as nice as she is gorgeous! If she hadn't told me it was going to be on, I would have missed it since I don't usually watch the other channels!

[lormand]

I'm sorry that you have to pay extra to see Greta Van Sustern and Whore-aldo Revenga.

[pt17]

When the local cable company got a little uppity and hinted that they knew what was good for me to watch, which didn't include FNC, I threw them out and got a dish. Unfortunately, though, you sometimes you have to pay a little more to show who's the boss.

[Infideldawg]

Out here in Central Texas (Time-Warner) Foxnews is a part of the basic package. Of course, they hide it away from the other news stations with a high channel number (78) when all the others are in the low- to mid-20s.

[Mustang]

Here in our condo we have TimeWarner. FNC is part of our basic service. (It's part of the condo fee).

It may depend upon where one may live. Conservatives must understand that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Call your local provider and demand you get it!

Mustang sends.

[galt-jw]

hell no. get directtv or dish. screw the cable punks.