FCC rejects idea of choosing your own channels

[Mark Holtz]

From SF Gate/AP:

FCC says allowing cable TV subscribers to choose their channels wouldn't lower costs

Federal regulators rejected on Friday the idea that allowing cable TV subscribers to pay only for channels they want would lower high cable bills. Consumer groups said the analysis was flawed.

FULL ARTICLE HERE (http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/a/2004/11/19/financial1510EST0197.DTL)

From www.fcc.gov:

11/19/04
Media Bureau Releases Report on Cable A La Carte Pricing Model.
News Release: Word (http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-254443A1.doc) | Acrobat (http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-254443A1.pdf)
Study: Acrobat (http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-254432A1.pdf)

[Jaspear]

From SF Gate/AP:

FCC says allowing cable TV subscribers to choose their channels wouldn't lower costs

Federal regulators rejected on Friday the idea that allowing cable TV subscribers to pay only for channels they want would lower high cable bills. Consumer groups said the analysis was flawed.

Being forced to buy a hundred or so channels, most of which I don't watch, is one of the reasons I get most of my multichannel TV from Canadian DBS.

Canadian service providers offer theme bundles, of half a dozen or so channels, for $5.95 each. For the most part, I get just the channels I want, at a reasonable price. If I want news, I'm not forced to buy sports. If I want music, I'm not forced to buy kids channels.

Of course, doing something like this here, would mean individual channels would have to compete for viewers, rather than just for "shelf space" on Dish or DTV. Once a channel get added, its so much easier not to compete for viewers, since subscribers pay for them regardless of whether they watch or not.

[Nick]

I get most of my multichannel TV from Canadian DBSShould we assume you are Canadian? Why not post your location in your profile?