Sen. John McCain Bill Would Alter Cable Pricing

[inazsully]

Se. John McCain, R-Ariz., introduced a bill that introduces "a la carte" programming. His bill Uses regulatory incentives to encourage programmers to unbundle their channels. McCain doubts success because the cable and the satellite companies are such a powerful special interest. He feels that is Unlikely to to bend the entrenched Washington lobbies of the cable industry, and broadcasters. The problem is that the cable distributors and programmers 'exist in a cozy cabal" and both side stand to make a lot more money off the current system. Other industry observers also said it is time to give a la carte cable a try.

 

[Yespage]

link

"Basically, I support a la carte, and I believe most Americans do, for the basic reason that consumers shouldn't have to pay for television channels they don't watch and have no interest in watching," said McCain, a former Commerce Committee chairman who no longer sits on the panel.

"Believe most Americans do"? Since when is what we want important?

It exists in Canada and Canadians aren't flowing across the border for American cable. Just give us a la carte. The problem I see with the bill is that it tries to push channel providers into doing this, not actually creating regulations that require them to do it. Of course, they could just go the Chevy Volt direction (reasonable lease v ridiculous sticker purchase price) and say, you want a la carte, here it is, $10 a channel or $80 for all the channels.

 

[inazsully]

I don't think it would be anywhere close to $10 per channel. Most people would be satisfied with their locals and maybe 10-12 cable channels. If one company offered a package that included 12 channels at $4 each plus adding ESPN and Regional sports channels for $10 each I think you would see people flock to that company. The rest would soon follow. Yes many channels would cease to exist and I know ESPN and Disney are joined at the hip. But, the times they are a changin.

 

[dare2be]

The problem I see with the bill is that it tries to push channel providers into doing this, not actually creating regulations that require them to do it.

Yeah, without any teeth to the bill it all sounds just like lip service to me.

There, I combined two cliches into one.

 

[Mr Tony]

already been discussed for 2 weeks here
http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads...Pay-Channels-Sold-Individually-Not-In-Bundles