à la carte channel lineup

[billsharpe]

Originally Posted by Hoosier205

Bad idea all around. Cost will go up while variety/selection/choices go down.

And it would be a billing nightmare. Might be good for the economy, though, as providers would have to employ a bunch more CSR's.

[sum_random_dork]

Would raise our costs even more, channels charge based on the # of customers that can "See" their channels. Costs would rise even more if those channels had fewer viewers. They wouldn't get the return from commercials because of lower viewership. Can you imagine the cost increase in channels like ESPN, CNN, Fox News, NFL Net, USA, Disney? I think you'd see costs pushing the likes of HBO for channels.

[inkahauts]

We basically get a massive discount for each channel now because we subscriber to so many, if we only describe to one, then the price will go up astronomically...

Because of the way the system is set up now, we'd loose a huge amount of channels in a heart beat if we went full a la cart... And the prices for what was left would have to very hi.. Some people are saying 5 a channel, I think ones like espn would be more like 15.... There is reasoning to that, if you really start thinking about it.

I would like to see a plan that was more category based.. Like all sports channels, all news channels, etc.. I think that would be nice...

[hasan]

Originally Posted by Hoosier205

Bad idea all around. Cost will go up while variety/selection/choices go down.

Precisely! It's not economically feasible for either the consumer or the company.

It would be an unmitigated disaster in terms of cost and choice.

Advocating for something so obviously self-defeating is ...well...you fill in the blank.

[pfp]

I keep reading comments like "there will be way fewer channels if this happens". I don't disagree, but I also don't see that as a bad thing. There are WAY too many channels that have just a couple good shows. There is no reason they can't consolidate.

[hasan]

Originally Posted by pfp

I keep reading comments like "there will be way fewer channels if this happens". I don't disagree, but I also don't see that as a bad thing. There are WAY too many channels that have just a couple good shows. There is no reason they can't consolidate.

Of course there is: it's called revenue and it's making all the other channels more affordable. If they cut out what I call "rubbish", then I'll have to pay more for the "cleaned" version of my package. Think of all the rubbish channels as commercials that we don't have to watch. If they are removed, the revenue they were generating has to be replaced.

Guess who is going to have to replace it? The very same people who clamor for ala cart. People seem to have no idea what they are asking for, and if they got it, would be the first to complain about increased costs.

There ain't no free lunch. D* is not going to take a revenue hit, so ala cart can be offered. In other words: ka-ching!

[TheRatPatrol]

Originally Posted by pfp

There are WAY too many channels that have just a couple good shows.

And too many channels that show the same types of shows over and over again.

Originally Posted by pfp

There is no reason they can't consolidate

Maybe go to a download or PPV system?

[rick52768]

Some of your seem to be just too scared of change, not that it is going to happen but still. If you like it this way I promise you they will always let you throw your money at big bundles of countless, unwatchable channels. Directv and dish spend too much and make us pay for the crappy channels and even send up new satellites to put more crappy channels on. Of course the content providers are just as much to blame. As they both lay in bed together. Again some choices are better than no real choices. More packages, more choices as deep dish pizza with everything on it is okay, but not what I want. As I will still spend the same, just mine would be thin crust pizza and a side of wings for the same price.

[Tom Robertson]

Originally Posted by rick52768

Some of your seem to be just too scared of change, not that it is going to happen but still. If you like it this way I promise you they will always let you throw your money at big bundles of countless, unwatchable channels. Directv and dish spend too much and make us pay for the crappy channels and even send up new satellites to put more crappy channels on. Of course the content providers are just as much to blame. As they both lay in bed together. Again some choices are better than no real choices. More packages, more choices as deep dish pizza with everything on it is okay, but not what I want. As I will still spend the same, just mine would be thin crust pizza and a side of wings for the same price.

I gots minimal problems with change, but I don't see what is different from the last times ala carte was tested and failed?

We know there is more overhead to ala carte.
We know the channels that survive will get as much money as they do know--but likely with fewer subs so fees will go up for people who want them.
I don't think we'll see any channel for less than $1/month compared to the .01 per month now.

Again, it has been done, it died. Why would it succeed this time?

Cheers,
Tom

[rick52768]

I guess you are speaking about c-band and it's a al carte. The problem they had was al gore and his work in increasing prices and a newer and better technology. You can compare the two as they are just too different beast. If you are talking DBS then I guess I am too new to the game to know that history but no matter as how any a al carte is setup is very important. Choices are good, limits are bad.

[Hoosier205]

Originally Posted by rick52768

I guess you are speaking about c-band and it's a al carte. The problem they had was al gore and his work in increasing prices and a newer and better technology. You can compare the two as they are just too different beast. If you are talking DBS then I guess I am too new to the game to know that history but no matter as how any a al carte is setup is very important. Choices are good, limits are bad.

À la carte is a bad idea. It will reduce the amount of available choices and the prices for consumers will go up. End of story.

[scoop8]

Originally Posted by Hoosier205

À la carte is a bad idea. It will reduce the amount of available choices and the prices for consumers will go up. End of story.

I think you're right. Although ala carte sounds good in theory, it doesn't seem feasible for providers or customers due to cost being prohibitive.

Reminds me of a line from a movie from '72 "Walking Tall"...

"Ideals and reality are very far apart. One day you're gonna see that, son. And if you don't, someone's gonna point it out to you.....clearly" (with that southern drawl)

[joed32]

Originally Posted by rick52768

I guess you are speaking about c-band and it's a al carte. The problem they had was al gore and his work in increasing prices and a newer and better technology. You can compare the two as they are just too different beast. If you are talking DBS then I guess I am too new to the game to know that history but no matter as how any a al carte is setup is very important. Choices are good, limits are bad.

I had ala carte with Cband as did everyone else. At that time, many years ago the cheapest channel was "History" at $1 per month. Many of the other channels were much higher. I went through and picked around ten channels that I wanted and it was cheaper to get a package that included those channels and many more. Why would ala carte be cheaper now than it was then?

[garn9173]

Originally Posted by Hoosier205

À la carte is a bad idea. It will reduce the amount of available choices and the prices for consumers will go up. End of story.

yet the naive start screaming for it whenever there is a rate increase