Time Warner customers: ready to lose TV Land, Spike & Comedy Central?

[yg17]

That'd be great, but of course they won't do that. There would be too many people who would only get one or two channels. For instance, the only channel anyone ever watches at my place is Comedy Central, so that'd be the only one we have.

I wouldn't mind a la carte in groups of 5 or 10, or maybe a set minimum and everything after that, you can choose.

 

[Tilpots]

How much does HBO charge a month? They seem to be doing alright.

Yep, HBO, Showtime and all the pay channels are doing just fine WITHOUT having to air commercials. A la carte works just fine for them.

I wouldn't mind a la carte in groups of 5 or 10, or maybe a set minimum and everything after that, you can choose.

As long as the cable company doesn't bundle those 5-10 channels for you. They'd end up giving you such mismatched choices (like ESPN and Lifetime bundled together instead of ESPN and ESPN2), by the time you got the 6 networks you actually wanted, you'd be paying for 60 channels.

If you meant you must buy at least 5 to 10 individual channels of your own choice, then yeah, I think that's fair enough.

 

[yg17]

If you meant you must buy at least 5 to 10 individual channels of your own choice, then yeah, I think that's fair enough.

Yep, that's what I meant. Channels of your choosing.

 

[Tilpots]

Yep, that's what I meant. Channels of your choosing.

LOL, I wouldn't put anything past those cable companies. They try to nickel and dime you to death! Thanks for clarifying.

 

[MacNut]

The argument I heard from the cable company is that nobody would buy the smaller unknown channels and they would not survive.

 

[Tilpots]

The argument I heard from the cable company is that nobody would buy the smaller unknown channels and they would not survive.

That's about right. Don't necessarily see the problem with this, though. Cable companies could offer the small channels free for a limited time if they want to build an audience.

Ultimately, competition amongst content providers can only be good for the viewers. A start-up would have to really hit the ground running.

 

[iJohnHenry]

Al-la-carte is the way of the future.

Unfortunately, up here in The Great White North, the government does not believe in the concept of User Pays. They would prefer to "mould" your viewing habits, by decree.

The dross is supported, regardless, and the consumer has little to say about it.

'Twas ever thus, when someone else decides what's best for you.