Local retrans fees now over $20

I suspect that the concern is that customers might want to opt out of local channels if they were a independent entity and that would require a paradigm shift in LiL carriage negotiations.

I think the RSN premium is a better model for what could be done about local channels. I don't imagine that there's necessarily a 1:1 relationship between RSN territories and local channel markets so they probably couldn't easily explain combining the two into a single charge.

To maintain dollar perspective, it must be noted that cable providers typically carry quite a few more local channels than DIRECTV does and that is not counting the PEG channels (often supported by a separate PEG/franchise fee).

 

You don't understand why Directv doesn't break out the local channels, making them optional? Maybe because they are stupid. There is no other explanation.

 

As far as I know only Dish makes them optional... Not aware of anyone else doing that

 

That wasn't the recommendation. The recommendation was to make local channels a separate line item on the bill.

 

That's perhaps not true if it shows the subscribers (and potential subscribers) that DIRECTV isn't trying very hard to keep costs down (although the monthly bill makes that abundantly clear). The more you break something down, the easier it is to pick apart where the money is going. I think people are happier when they take something like this in one gulp and they can't contemplate the components.

 

What good does that do? I would rather save $21 a month and get the locals using Locast or an antenna.
Just listing the cost doesn't accomplish anything.

 

Maybe that's why people are staying with Dish. Their retention numbers are much better compared to DIRECTV.

 

Recently yes. But as a percentage overall they have lost more customers then Directv since 2015

 

I am talking about recently. I think Dish is keeping its costs down better than Dish. I would much rather use Locast for locals and all the diginets for $5 a month, than $21 a month for just the locals. Many others will use an antenna.

 

Since 2015 isn't a particularly relevant metric if judging current and near-future direction is the desire. Quarter by quarter or this quarter versus a year ago's quarter are the metrics that investors use for insight into a company's direction. These are the data that you'll find in the FTC filings.

Of course since AT&T and DISH both add in their streaming components to their subscriber numbers, it is even more complicated than that.

 

It is pretty revenant considering that was the peak of Directv subscribers

 

Since AT&T will still be the majority partner in any of the deals I've seen and most accounts having at least Uverse going along with it, I wouldn't hold your breath on getting pure DIRECTV numbers.

 

Relevant to what?

If you want to go back to 2015, look at what AT&T paid versus what they're being offered.

Statistics are all about hiding the truth in a forest of numbers. That's why the financial reports don't speak to longer-term trends.

 

Yup sure Ok