FCC puts 'a la carte' cable on the menu

ABC News, USA Today ^ | 9/12/07 | Leslie Cauley

[AT7Saluki]

The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday plans to begin considering banning programmers from "tying" — making cable systems take less-popular or new channels to get must-haves, such as ESPN DIS or CBS CBS.

Programmers have used the practice to launch scores of channels. That's why you see all those spinoffs of Walt Disney's ESPN on basic and digital cable. Operators didn't necessarily want them — they just couldn't see a cheaper way to get the flagship channel.

Each extra channel adds a fee to customers' bills. "The problem for consumers is that they have to pay higher rates for a bunch of channels they may not want or watch," says FCC chief Kevin Martin.

[AT7Saluki]

Finally, the real story. No, not just the big, bad, CableCos. Let's look at programming as well. Can you legislate business model changes?

[Red Badger]

There is no reason why I have to have MTV or VH1 on my cable except they make me take it.........

[SlowBoat407]

Can you legislate business model changes?

If the business model is extortion, I believe so.

[Crazieman]

With a la carte I’m going to have about 10 channels and actually enjoy paying for them.

[Huntress]

There is no reason why I have to have MTV or VH1 on my cable except they make me take it.........

Same thing here, but with the sports and Spanish language channels.

[SlowBoat407]

Maybe next they’ll look in the mirror. Can you see filling out an a la carte menu on your tax forms to determine where you want your money to go?

[N. Theknow]

There is no reason why I have to have MTV or VH1 on my cable except they make me take it.........

DirecTV and Dish Network are the same way.

I pay for, even though I have blocks on: Bravo, Logo, MTV, VH1, BET, just to name a few.

[SampleMan]

Finally, the real story. No, not just the big, bad, CableCos. Let's look at programming as well. Can you legislate business model changes?

The business practices of companies granted a monopoly are highly regulated. The question now with cable is whether its still a monopoly with satellite available.

[Vaquero]

There is no reason why I have to have MTV or VH1 on my cable except they make me take it......... Same thing here, but with the sports and Spanish language channels.

I had to get a load of odd-sports channels and Spanish stuff to get the Outdoor Channel...what a waste

[Wolfie]

Can you legislate business model changes?

Yes.

[LonePalm]

About time.

I have been pinging on my cable company for years to let me pick and choose what I get.

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

[I still care]

I keep just a few on my favorites. Some channels I block so I don’t have to go through them all the time:

Soap, LOGO, MTV, BET, Current, Link, millions of cartoon channels, sports...

Let’s face it, there are a lot of special interest channels. Nothing wrong with that, but I don’t want to pay for them.

[Stallone]

A company with monopoly rights over the single cable that enters a home has an unfair advantage over the consumer.

If consumers could select from a competitive list of cable providers, then let cable companies win or lose by their offerings.

Otherwise, the FCC is advocating correctly.

[Red Badger]

I have DishNetwork, too, and there’s a whole bunch of stuff on there I don’t need or want, but have to pay for. I don’t think the FCC rule applies to them.............

[SMARTY]

Ditto! Where I live, there is only one cable station. I call it institutionalized theft! As soon as they have competition.... they are history at our house.

[Smokin' Joe]

I had deleted the channels from the lineup before I had to have a digital converter box. My oldest grand daughter came to live with us and complained she could not get MTV. I told her it was an older TV and would not pick up Hip-hop type programming.

I said, knowing full well none of the local broadcasters had hip-hop/rap in their music formats, that the radios were the same way, sorry.

She believed me until the power went out a year later and the TV auto-programmed...picking up the deleted feeds. (Rats!)

[chrisser]

Can you legislate business model changes?

Not an expert here, but don't cable lines typically run through public right-of-ways? (like along existing electrical and phone lines).

That would seem to grant the government some degree of control over the services delivered, the same way it regulates telephone and utility companies in exchange for access for their distribution networks, and broadcast TV for their access to public airwave frequencies.

I could be wrong, however...

[Red Badger]

A company with monopoly rights over the single cable that enters a home has an unfair advantage over the consumer.

Some cities and towns OWN the cable company and DECIDE what you get to watch..............

[BallyBill]

I had to get a load of odd-sports channels and Spanish stuff to get the Outdoor Channel...what a waste

You are lucky, I get all that junk and still can't get Outdoor or Vs.

Till I got satellite, I had no idea how many ESPN's there are and the only outdoors stuff is weekend mornings(when outdoorsmen are outdoors).

I can watch Battle of the Network Stars all week long on ESPN Classic (sigh!)

[Gay State Conservative]

Of the approx 200 cable channels I have I watch no more than a dozen (not including locals).MTV,LOGO,Lifetime,Nick,the shopping channels,etc don’t interest me in the *least* and never will.However,I heard it suggested that cable companies will charge me the same for 12 channels under “a la carte” than they currently charge me for the 200.