[BlazingArizona]

In a free market isn't the corporation entitled to offer whatever package deals they want without government regulation? Dell doesn't have to sell individual hard drives if they don't want to - they are free to focus on selling complete systems if they choose.

You would have a point if we got our TV by subscription over the Internet, which would allow us to choose freely among packages or individual channels offered in open competition.

But that's not how we get cable. The single pipe coming into your house (which probably includes your Internet feed) is a natural monopoly. If we don't like SuckCable's menu of packages, we can't magically opt for BetterCable instead unless we were to move into their service area.

[gondramB]

"But that's not how we get cable. The single pipe coming into your house (which probably includes your Internet feed) is a natural monopoly."

So it's only cable we are talking about - not satellites - since nobody has a satellite monopoly?


The cable people will scream bloody murder if you add government regulation to them and not satellites.