There needs to be a disclaimer for threads like this. Remember the tv commercials for the physic friends network?
"For entertainment purposes only"
When will it end?
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There needs to be a disclaimer for threads like this. Remember the tv commercials for the physic friends network?
"For entertainment purposes only"
One of the inherent drawbacks of inviting opinion on the INTERNET. This conversation probably would have gone differently if we were a bunch of guys standing around the water cooler at work
There needs to be a disclaimer for threads like this. Remember the tv commercials for the physic friends network?
"For entertainment purposes only"
I agree but some people on here make it sound like its such a burden in their lives when someone starts a new thread like this. Like I said ignore it! As you can see they can't do it. Threads like this don't bother me. Actually I won't ever let a thread on a forum get to me. Life is way to short. I do love your post though.
One of the inherent drawbacks of inviting opinion on the INTERNET. This conversation probably would have gone differently if we were a bunch of guys standing around the water cooler at work
I so agree. I was new to message boards before last year. There are a lot of people that use the Internet and places like this to do and say things they would never have the balls to do and say in the real world. That's just fact. When I found out about ignore it was great. The only thing I hate is that when they are quoted I see it. What can do man.
Unfortunately we see these kind of threads every year when new prices kick in. People will ask how much is too much and honestly there is no answer, besides the one of how much you are willing to spend.
No matter what costs will continue to go up and up, and yes some folks will be priced out of their service. Its just the way things work unfortunately.
I don't see ANY company saying... "Hey lets cut our rates and I am going to take a cut in pay to make customers bills cheaper." that don't happen.
I see others mention we need ala carte, it we had Ala carte I can tell you that your bills would be HIGHER then what they are now. Broadcasters would build in the price for less popular channels in to the price of the popular channels. You would be paying for Discovery Channel but at the same time still funding the Oprah channel, even though you dont get or want the Oprah channel. (And I am using the Oprah Channel as an example, not putting the channel down...)
Ultimately complaining to the satellite companies unfortunately is not going to work, they have costs to do business and must pass those costs along, they are also in business to make a profit and like most companies want to use that profit to expand their offerings and technologies.
Lets face the sad facts that every year the price will go up and there is nothing we can do about it. The only one who can do something about it is YOU and you can do it by voting with your wallet. But chances are you will be paying these guys one way or another.
No matter what costs will continue to go up and up, and yes some folks will be priced out of their service. Its just the way things work unfortunately.
I don't see ANY company saying... "Hey lets cut our rates and I am going to take a cut in pay to make customers bills cheaper." that don't happen.
I see others mention we need ala carte, it we had Ala carte I can tell you that your bills would be HIGHER then what they are now. Broadcasters would build in the price for less popular channels in to the price of the popular channels. You would be paying for Discovery Channel but at the same time still funding the Oprah channel, even though you dont get or want the Oprah channel. (And I am using the Oprah Channel as an example, not putting the channel down...)
Ultimately complaining to the satellite companies unfortunately is not going to work, they have costs to do business and must pass those costs along, they are also in business to make a profit and like most companies want to use that profit to expand their offerings and technologies.
Lets face the sad facts that every year the price will go up and there is nothing we can do about it. The only one who can do something about it is YOU and you can do it by voting with your wallet. But chances are you will be paying these guys one way or another.
Perhaps not in the pay TV industry, YET. As I mentioned before, this very thing is happening in the cell phone industry right now. Artificially high prices always come down at some point. Pay TV is a bloated, expensive, outdated model and it will eventually change. Threads like this, and complaining to the companies, DO help bring prices down. They are worried about their future too, just like we are. Who cares if there are 100 of these threads? It's the opinion and the will of the people speaking out. Let's not try to stifle that.
Your right. I never ever thought I would see the day when Verizon would lower their plans or offer a few more options. T Mobile has shaken the industry and AT&T, Sprint and Verizon have all been effected some. I called Verizon to compalin a bit and now I have a $60 plan with unlimited Talk, Text and 2 gigs of data. That saved me $40 a month and I can have that plan as long as I want.
I guess people forgot the outrage here a year ago when programming fees went up and then Dish added the equipment fees. Lots of people here spoke out. I believe it helped in getting some things grandfathered. If no one would have said a word and just bent over I bet there would have been no grandfathering of some fees.
I don't see how you can come to either conclusion.
1) If all channels were a la carte, how could a broadcaster shift the cost from one channel to another? Each channel will (eventually) cost as much as the traffic will bear for that channel, and that's it. I say, "Bring it on!"
2) If broadcasters would get more money under an a la carte regime than they are now, then don't you suppose we'd have a la carte right now?
The cell phone industry does not have the costs that the pay TV market does. They don't have channels like ESPN saying --- if your customer wants to call us we want you to pay more. Once the cell phone company is built it uses the airwaves to make money and no one is saying pay us more to use the airwaves. For many of these companies it is cheaper for their customers to be on cell phones then it is to have them upkeep their old copper land line service. So cell companies do have the ability to lower prices if they want to.
Very Simple...
You want Discovery its going to cost you $6 per month. You want Oprah its $1 a month. Part of the money taken in by Discovery goes to offset the costs of Oprah. Even if you don't want Oprah you will still be paying for it, even though your just buying Discovery Ala Carte. They will adjust their prices so that the less popular channels will continue to survive.
How does Canada manage it then?
Simple solution, don't get Discovery.Broadcasters would build in the price for less popular channels in to the price of the popular channels. You would be paying for Discovery Channel but at the same time still funding the Oprah channel, even though you dont get or want the Oprah channel. (And I am using the Oprah Channel as an example, not putting the channel down...)
$45 a month for DuoDVR with HD, TCM, NBCSports, Cartoon Network, Comedy Central, Cooking, DIY, maybe one or two other low tier channels. My final offer!
Have you see the Canadian programming?
There is a reason why so many up there want to subscribe to our services here in the US.
Although I admit I wish I had the CBC for the Olympics.
That is true but who in their right mind would think the cell phone companies would every change? Verizon and AT&T took away unlimited data made it so you have to get share plans and so on. All it took was one company to shake things up and look what happened. Those two big bullies now offer a few more lower priced options. Why not with pay TV? One company could shake things up.
Should everyone just shut up deal with it and pay more and more every year? If you don't like it cancel? I sure as hell don't remember people saying that when the programming with Dish went up last year. Then they dropped the fees bomb. As a matter of fact you and a lot of others on here were praising the fact so many people on your site spoke up. That is one reason why I really like your site and am a proud pub member.
I guess what I am saying is if people don't like these threads they should ignore them. It's to bad some here aren't adult enough to do that.
The Free Market will sort it all out. I just don't want to pay part of the $100 million a MNF game fee in order to watch TCM. It is almost like Television has become like Insurance, where the popular channels help pay for the unpopular channels.Have you see the Canadian programming?
There is a reason why so many up there want to subscribe to our services here in the US.
Although I admit I wish I had the CBC for the Olympics.
Someone changed the title of this thread. Why? It began as "When will it end?" Then someone went and added the "(Answer: it won't)." I don't appreciate someone changing the verbiage I used to start this thread...it wasn't offensive or against the site Terms in any way. It makes me feel like I was censored.
Sorry it was me trying to be funny.
I changed it back.
I just hate this topic because you are 100% correct in your feelings, its just I don't see things changing. And that actually saddens me.
I changed it back.
I just hate this topic because you are 100% correct in your feelings, its just I don't see things changing. And that actually saddens me.
Have you seen their pricing? Lets take Shaw Direct (formerly Star Choice) as example
Their "Bronze" package...which you need to get anything else is 54 bucks!!
But anywho. What providers do is split up channels to different themes. Not all channels are alacarte. Here are some examples
History is in one bundle, H2 is in another
CBNC, CNN and HLN are in one bundle, MSNBC & Fox News are in another
Sports are broken up into 2 themes. NFL and Speed are in one bundle, NHL, BTN are in an other
