Cable Providers Pressured for 'a la Carte' Programming

Agape Press ^ | 7/7/04

[steve-b]

Without bundling all we would probably have is ESPN, USA, Nickelodeon FoxNews, Spike, FX, TNT and MTV.

Yep, just like all we have in the bookstores are Bill Clinton's memoirs, the latest Harry Potter book, and Playboy's Nekkid Women of Wherever They're Filming This Month.

[NC28203]

>>>>As has already been noted (Msg#14), the cable monopoly is a creature of government regulation in the first place. Abolish the special protection afforded the local monopoly, and it will be forced to respond to public demand (including the demand to purchase what you acutally want without subsidizing 99 channels of crap).

Like in the way that the unregulated satellite companies have chosen to bundle rather than ala carte?

[Cooter]

A la carte is available on C-band satellite because of competition among several providers and re-sellers. C-band analog is being phased out in favor of digital C-band. It will still be around for a while because it provides the "source" for cable and DBS systems.

[Modernman]

Otherwise, let's keep the government out of this shall we?

It seems that a lot of conservatives don't want the government to regulate businesses, unless it's an area where they want the government to regulate businesses.

[NC28203]

I don't understand your analogy. Could you please explain further.

[discostu]

Not only does it cost almost nothing to transmit extra channels, not transmitting channels on an effectively random basis is pretty pricey. That's a lot of data to keep track of and a lot of manpower to make sure the only the right channels are being transmitted to house X. It's easier when you're in a situation with settop boxes (like digital cable, or cable back before the cable ready TV) since they can program the box to do the blocking and still technically transmit everything. But when there isn't a settop box it's gonna be an administrative nightmare.

You can pretty much garanutee that if the cable companies ever do go ala carte the average cost charged the consumer will be higher than packaged, they'll find a way to make it so.

[Dead Corpse]

I've noticed that. Mrs. Grundy is alive and well...

[Skooz]

I think most of the new tv/cable boxes have a feature where you can lock out specific channels.

That is true. But you still have to pay for them.

[Liberal Classic]

Wow, where did you find a TV that doesn't have a power button?

Fifteen minutes into the future!

[discostu]

Because the cities and sometimes counties decide if you can have a cable company there and in most places they are government enforced monopolies. So you'll have to get the government out of it before you can keep the government out of it.

[al_c]

I've always wanted a pay per channel type of set up. That way I could get only what I wanted and not have to put up with the infomercials, home shopping, music video, hollywood news (E!), spanish language, etc. channels. But cable companies will never go for it.

[Dead Corpse]

Selective user end lockout based off an encryption algorithm. Same way they know if you are paid up or not on a satellite dish.</p>

Deregulate the industry and let more companies compete for market share and leased line contracts.

[Labyrinthos]

Pro-family groups are pressuring the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and members of Congress to force cable television providers to allow consumers more choice when it comes to programming options.

The answer is not more government regulation, but rather less. The only aspect of cable TV that needs to be regulated is the distribution lines. Get rid of the the local monopoly that prohibits consumers from buying from the provider of their choice, and I guarantee the marketplace will solve the problem on its own without more government regulation.

[Dead Corpse]

Because the cities and sometimes counties decide if you can have a cable company there and in most places they are government enforced monopolies.

Which is doublely humerous due to all the anti-monopoly laws on the books. Yet another example of a managed market system screwing the end buyer.

[Modernman]

Usually it's tied to protecting children or the family, of course. MTV show naughty bits, so the government should step in to resolve the problem.

[yarddog]

When we first got Dish Network, there were only two channels we really wanted plus maybe a dozen we sort of liked.

Guess what? The only way to get both was to get two different packages with maybe 200 channels.

We got the basic package and 95% of the programs are never watched, not even once.

[Dead Corpse]

I'm PAYING for those channels. If I want to see naughty bits, I should be able to. And no, I'm not worried about my daughter getting at it. That is what parental control lockouts are for. Not to mention not allowing our children to have a TV/Computer in their room where they can't be as easily monitored. It's called parenting. More people should try it instead of getting their personal brand of censorship instituted.

I refuse to accpet the "it's for the children" logic. No matter who is spouting it.

[discostu]

Nothing humorous about that. Monopolies are not illegal. Monopolies have certain methods of expanding and protecting their market share that are illegal, but there is nothing innately illegal about being a monopoly. Cable is considered a utility, in most places most utilities are monopolies, it's just easier that way, having a bunch of companies laying electrical wire all over the city would be chaotic and unsightly.

[discostu]

Works great IF there's a set top box. When you're plugging straight into the TV from the wall (like you do most of the time now if you don't have digital cable) it's got to be blocked at the home office. Which is doable, but will be expensive.

The Tucson city council decided to allow a second company... they sucked and went under.

[Dead Corpse]

We've got three cable companies in Austin. Each was "given" a market segment. None is really any worse than any other as they really do not compete for clients. Allow them to "invade" each others territory on leased lines and you'd see some changes.

Having an internal cable ready tuner just moves the electronics from a box to the TV. It still needs to be authorized to be able to see the video stream. It doesn't change a darn thing and is no more expensive than normal.