Cable-Rate Dispute Set to Flare Anew

[Mark Holtz]

From Yahoo/Reuters TV:

Cable-Rate Dispute Set to Flare Anew

For the entertainment industry, Labor Day marks not only the end of the summer box office season, but also the opening bell for the latest round in the long-brewing debate about ever-rising cable rates, industry observers say.

After all, the General Accounting Office (news - web sites), Congress' investigative arm, is set to issue a report in the coming weeks that will outline why U.S. cable customers have seen their bills rise above inflation levels for years. The GAO must deliver a first draft of the report -- which was requested by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. -- just after Labor Day, with the final version going to McCain in late October.

Full story here (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=597&ncid=772&e=9&u=/nm/20030829/tv_nm/television_cable_dc)

[Bogy]

Z'Loth, care to point out just what the DBS connection is here? The only possible connection I can see is the possibility that rising costs are due to the content providers, which would also affect DBS. Otherwise, this just looks like another cable bashing/DBS pom-pom waving thread to me. You guys sure spend a lot of time talking about cable. Perhaps there should be a forum just for cable bashing/DBS pom pom waving. :lol:

[Mark Holtz]

The content providers mainly. And, some of the users here have both cable and DBS partially because they have internet access through cable.

If the GAO provides the report on-line, you can bet that someone will post a link here. More than likely, it will say that the Sports channels cost the most.

[Geronimo]

DBS is part of an industry. I will leave the question of whether this is on or off topic to the management but if my voter matters I say it is OK.

[James Hill]

As opposed to your cable pom-pom waving, Bogy?

Here's your shot. Tell us why cable rates have been going through the roof.

(Hint: They're a monopoly.)

Go for it, Bogy!

James Hill

[Unthinkable]

Z'Loth, care to point out just what the DBS connection is here? The only possible connection I can see is the possibility that rising costs are due to the content providers, which would also affect DBS. Otherwise, this just looks like another cable bashing/DBS pom-pom waving thread to me. You guys sure spend a lot of time talking about cable. Perhaps there should be a forum just for cable bashing/DBS pom pom waving. :lol:

It has relevency in the general information and discussion forum when cable advocates/installers downplay and trivialize the endless and exhorbitant cable rate increases to no end a few threads below this one.

Re: Re: Dish Talk @ my Job


Regarding rate increase, when a child running a lemonade stand has their cost from their suppliers go up, the pass it on in the form of a price increase going to fifty cents from twenty-five cents for a cup. Basic business. Cable does it and survives.
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DBS is no panacea and digital cable is retaking DBS customer share at a rate that should make those with the ability to see beyond venal hate of their cable company sh*t bricks if they've banked on DBS. Look! LEO DBS and MVDDS are on the horizon! I hear the other shoe getting ready to drop on DTV and E*. I won't miss them the way I don't miss IBM's OS/2 development team and the people who used to make buggy whips.

[rtt2]

I think it is relevant and makes me grateful for DBS every time I read one of these articles. Thanks :)

[Bogy]

Fine, I'm over ruled and outvoted. This topic is totally relevant, although a rehash of what was discussed just a week or so ago. Exactly what I expected.

So what is behind the incredible $3.05 price increase quoted? Except for my company which had a lower percentage of increase?
Cable operators have argued that their rollout of additional services -- such as new cable networks, high-speed Internet and telephony services and video-on-demand -- has been costly and should allow them to charge consumers more.
The NCTA has argued that the cable sector's investment of more than $75 billion for technical upgrades in recent years has allowed it to launch new services that consumers have embraced.
Cable firms usually report programming cost increases of more than 10%. But JPMorgan analyst Jason Bazinet has estimated that when hidden costs are included, increases are closer to 20%.The last quote in particular makes the 8% increase look like a bargain.

My own personal increase in cost in two years with my current cable company. After adding 8 channels (according to my memory) I have had a price increase of...zip. The 5 to 6% increase quoted by Cox must have occurred in other areas, because it didn't affect me. Perhaps those are the areas that have been getting the upgrades I already have. Haven't any of you guys taken anything like statistics, logic, marketing or business to be able to interpret percentages and look at the "big picture?" Or do all you guys get your sense of self esteem by putting down cable? :lol: