STATIONS NOT WANTED - MAKE THEM TOTALLY OPTIONAL ADD ON

[chicagonettech]

Since the WHAT STATION DO YOU WANT thread only allows for one station to be listed and not genres, I would like to suggest this post as what we would like to have as ELECTIVE or ELIMINATE without specifically requesting in a package.

Let me start by stating we never watch sports channels and are tired of paying for them for everyone else.

Therefore I would like to see a SPORTS FREE tier of packages where all sports are ADD ON to whatever package is choosen.

If this is not made an option then I fear a mass exodus as the new rates are effected in February and everyone finds themselves screwed because of the excessive costs which will kick in on all packages because of the cost of the sports networks.

 

[JimWH]

I’d love to see channels offered ala carte or at least in related bundles. I like to watch sports, or at least most of them, but I see no reason why others should be forced to have them. Also, I would not be surprised to see DISH, like some websites offer for a premium, an ad free version. They could then have channel listings uncluttered by all the infomercial channels.

 

[navychop]

Since the WHAT STATION DO YOU WANT thread only allows for one station to be listed and not genres, I would like to suggest this post as what we would like to have as ELECTIVE or ELIMINATE without specifically requesting in a package.

Let me start by stating we never watch sports channels and are tired of paying for them for everyone else.

Therefore I would like to see a SPORTS FREE tier of packages where all sports are ADD ON to whatever package is choosen.

If this is not made an option then I fear a mass exodus as the new rates are effected in February and everyone finds themselves screwed because of the excessive costs which will kick in on all packages because of the cost of the sports networks.

Yeah, I have dreams like that, too. Then reality kicks me awake.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I think most of us would like this, unfortunately the networks would never allow this.

Its the programmer who specifies where channels go.. and if you want ESPN then the package that its in must also contain the other DISNEY owned channels that you don't watch as well.

If things went Ala Carte most if not all he nice channels would not exisit anymore.

 

[KE4EST]

If things went Ala Carte most if not all he nice channels would not exisit anymore.

Yep sad but very true.

 

[Hall]

If things went Ala Carte most if not all he nice channels would not exisit anymore.

They'd only not exist due to extremely low viewer numbers.

 

[king3pj]

Since the WHAT STATION DO YOU WANT thread only allows for one station to be listed and not genres, I would like to suggest this post as what we would like to have as ELECTIVE or ELIMINATE without specifically requesting in a package.

Let me start by stating we never watch sports channels and are tired of paying for them for everyone else.

Therefore I would like to see a SPORTS FREE tier of packages where all sports are ADD ON to whatever package is choosen.

If this is not made an option then I fear a mass exodus as the new rates are effected in February and everyone finds themselves screwed because of the excessive costs which will kick in on all packages because of the cost of the sports networks.

I would like to see every other channel removed. The only reason I still have pay TV is for live sports. I rarely watch any other type of programing and I'm tired of paying for it for everyone else. What I do watch, I could get easily get from Netflix and Amazon and save some money.

Yes, individual sports channels cost more than most individual general channels. There sure are a lot more general channels though. I have to pay for AT 250 to get all the major sports in HD even though I only watch the sports channels 90% of the time. People like you make this argument all the time but I think it's pretty clear when you add up the cost of every channel that doesn't show sports that I'm subsidizing your entertainment more than you're subsidizing mine.

This post was just to make the point that it works both ways. What I said about mostly watching sports is true but I don't want any channels removed. Choice is a good thing. I don't want my choices limited.

 

[king3pj]

You're making a mistake when you assume ala-carte will be cheaper for consumers than the current model. The channels wouldn't stay the same cost they are now. Here is an example using numbers that are in no way accurate because I don't know the real numbers.

Say HGTV is currently part of all 14 million Dish customers lineup at $0.25 per subscriber per month. That's $3,500,000 per month in revenue to HGTV from Dish customers.

Now say they go ala-carte and 5,000,000 Dish customers choose to sign up for it (I think I'm being pretty generous with that number). If they stayed at the same price their revenue would drop to $1,250,000 or about 36% of the revenue they made before switching to ala-carte.

Now, do you think HGTV would just accept that huge revenue loss? No, they would raise the price of their channel to try to get back to what they were making before. If they wanted to get the same revenue from 5,000,000 customers that they got from 14,000,000 customers they would have to charge $0.70 per subscriber. Now do this with every channel you want and the price adds up quickly.

Keep in mind that these numbers are all before the markup Dish will charge. Dish would probably at least double to triple that price to cover all of their overheard and make some profit. If Dish tripled the price for their markup HGTV now costs $2.10 per subscriber. In real life I doubt that 5,000,000 people would actually sign up for HGTV so the actual increase in price per subscriber would probably be even higher. Plus their would probably be some kind of base fee just for having service before the cost of any individual channels. Dish wouldn't want a customer with a $3.00 monthly bill. It wouldn't be worth installing for them.

You'd end up paying the same or more money and get less channels. I'd rather keep things the way they are so I don't get less for my money. If something I want to see is on a channel I don't normally watch it would still be there the way things are now. Your way limits choice.

 

[garys]

And if ala carte did exist, all the channels you would want would charge more and your monthly bill would be higher than it is now. But the guide would not be as cluttered.

 

[Peter Parker]

You're making a mistake when you assume ala-carte will be cheaper for consumers than the current model. The channels wouldn't stay the same cost they are now.

Actually all he is suggesting is that sports not be included. That might save him some money but would likely increase the cost to others. The problem here is that we all want something different excluded. He wants sports excluded. I might want all the cooking, lifestyle and entertainment news channels deleted. The model won't work even in the simplest form unless there isa consensus obn what should be excluded----and I see nos such consensus.

 

[king3pj]

Actually all he is suggesting is that sports not be included. That might save him some money but would likely increase the cost to others. The problem here is that we all want something different excluded. He wants sports excluded. I might want all the cooking, lifestyle and entertainment news channels deleted. The model won't work even in the simplest form unless there isa consensus obn what should be excluded----and I see nos such consensus.

''

You're right. My first post responded directly to his post. I just realized that the second post I made was more in response to his signature and other people's posts in this thread so I have now removed the quote from that post.

 

[navychop]

.......I think it's pretty clear when you add up the cost of every channel that doesn't show sports that I'm subsidizing your entertainment more than you're subsidizing mine......

Dream on.

 

[dwarren2]

If things went Ala Carte most if not all he nice channels would not exisit anymore.

Not only that, but the entire sat industry would most probably cease to exist

 

[king3pj]

so you're saying that the few sports channels added together cost more than every other channel combined? I don't think so.

 

[Hall]

You're making a mistake when you assume ala-carte will be cheaper for consumers than the current model. The channels wouldn't stay the same cost they are now.

a la carte is certainly a nice idea on paper, but I've never believed from day one that it was practical or would be cheaper. The flaw that most people make is thinking, take the current "package" they have today, divide it by the number of channels, and that's what one would pay for each channel they pick. If it did work that way, it would probably be great though !!

Using Dish's AT200 at $59.99/mo as an example, and I realize there's in fact more than (200) channels in that package, but use (200). That works out to $0.29/channel. According to a recent article, ESPN alone (not counting ESPN2 and the other channels they push) charges over $4.00 for one channel !!!

 

[navychop]

So you're saying every channel added together that doesn't show sports costs more than the sports channels added together?

Other way around. Sports channels together cost more than non-sports. As just noted, ESPN costs way more than most anything. As an indicator, look at how much is charged for a single fight- no movie or non sports event gets anything like that.

 

[king3pj]

a la carte is certainly a nice idea on paper, but I've never believed from day one that it was practical or would be cheaper. The flaw that most people make is thinking, take the current "package" they have today, divide it by the number of channels, and that's what one would pay for each channel they pick. If it did work that way, it would probably be great though !!

Using Dish's AT200 at $59.99/mo as an example, and I realize there's in fact more than (200) channels in that package, but use (200). That works out to $0.29/channel. According to a recent article, ESPN alone (not counting ESPN2 and the other channels they push) charges over $4.00 for one channel !!!

I think I'm looking at the same article as you. That number is true for ESPN at $4.69, but ESPN2 is $0.62 and ESPNU and ESPNews are $0.18 each. Those channels often come together and the cost is all front loaded into the main ESPN channel. A more fair way to look at it is the family of ESPN channels costs $5.67 or $1.41 per channel.

That is still expensive compared to other channels but it's not like they are charging $4.69 per channel. There are relatively few sports channels when you look at the overall picture. The regular channels still cost more to sports fans than the sports channels cost to non sports fans.

 

[Brodieb]

I am not a sports fan at all - but the nice thing about Dish (and probably other providers as well) is you can block any channels you do not want to see in the guide. I hide all the shopping and religious channels on my receivers and have thought about doing the same with sports as well.

 

[king3pj]

Other way around. Sports channels together cost more than non-sports. As just noted, ESPN costs way more than most anything. As an indicator, look at how much is charged for a single fight- no movie or non sports event gets anything like that.

I edited my post once I realized that I said it backwards. PPV has little to do with channel costs. I wouldn't pay for an overpriced PPV sports event but I still want sports channels. I remember someone trying PPV movies that were still in theaters for about $30. That's not quite as high as a fight but it shows that non sports PPVs can have high costs too.

 

[dewzan]

You're making a mistake when you assume ala-carte will be cheaper for consumers than the current model. The channels wouldn't stay the same cost they are now. Here is an example using numbers that are in no way accurate because I don't know the real numbers.

Say HGTV is currently part of all 14 million Dish customers lineup at $0.25 per subscriber per month. That's $3,500,000 per month in revenue to HGTV from Dish customers.

Now say they go ala-carte and 5,000,000 Dish customers choose to sign up for it (I think I'm being pretty generous with that number). If they stayed at the same price their revenue would drop to $1,250,000 or about 36% of the revenue they made before switching to ala-carte.

Now, do you think HGTV would just accept that huge revenue loss? No, they would raise the price of their channel to try to get back to what they were making before. If they wanted to get the same revenue from 5,000,000 customers that they got from 14,000,000 customers they would have to charge $0.70 per subscriber. Now do this with every channel you want and the price adds up quickly.

Keep in mind that these numbers are all before the markup Dish will charge. Dish would probably at least double to triple that price to cover all of their overheard and make some profit. If Dish tripled the price for their markup HGTV now costs $2.10 per subscriber. In real life I doubt that 5,000,000 people would actually sign up for HGTV so the actual increase in price per subscriber would probably be even higher. Plus their would probably be some kind of base fee just for having service before the cost of any individual channels. Dish wouldn't want a customer with a $3.00 monthly bill. It wouldn't be worth installing for them.

You'd end up paying the same or more money and get less channels. I'd rather keep things the way they are so I don't get less for my money. If something I want to see is on a channel I don't normally watch it would still be there the way things are now. Your way limits choice.

But how many would stay with hgtv if they jump from $.35 to $.70. If the consumer decides what is quality programming the networks will either conform or fall by the wayside. ESPN shows poker tournaments and spelling bee's, discovery networks show programming from the 1990's hundreds of times a year on not just one but EACH of their channels. discovery has some great programs but i'd bet that they average less than 1 1/2hours of new programming a day. then they regurgitate it over and over and over on the other channels they own. if the consumer say's it's not worth the price your asking the network will change or drown.