A la Carte TV Cable Service...

[GTaudiophile]

This is in response to the "cutting the cable" thread.

After going 10 years without, the only way I would consider getting back into Cable TV would be an a-la-carte solution.

What channels would you pick?
And how much would you be willing to pay for them per month?


My channels:
CNN
FoxNews
MSNBC
CSPAN
Commedy Central
Lifetime (for the GF)
HGTV (for the GF)
Discovery
TLC
Animal Planet
BBC America
History
Travel Channel

For these I would pay between $20-$25/month.

+Add ESPN/ESPN2 and I would consider a $5-$10/mo premium.
+Add HBO/SHO/AMC and I would consider a $10-$15/mo premium.

Total max per month: $50 for all of the above (in HD).

I have been quoted more like $70-$90 alone without the "HBO" premium channels, so my options would be at least a 50% reduction.

But instead of getting up to $50 from me, the industry will continue to get a big fat $0.

 

[lxskllr]

I wouldn't pay anything for a service, but I'd pay per piece for individual shows. $1 per show if it goes away after watching, and $2 per show if I get to keep it.

 

[GTaudiophile]

I wouldn't pay anything for a service, but I'd pay per piece for individual shows. $1 per show if it goes away after watching, and $2 per show if I get to keep it.

Hmmm.

So for your service, you could imagine a box like a TiVo that would scan all the shows for a given week let's say, sporting events included, and you would simply tell the device what to grab and then you would be presented with an order summary that would be billed to your credit card. You could opt to watch any of the shows live or recorded.

Pricing would following the Apple iTunes model in a way.

 

[bignateyk]

In addition to the major networks (ABC, FOX, CBS, NBC, PBS), I would want ESPN (for college football), Versus (For NHL games), and Discovery.

Right now I just get the major networks OTA. So if I could just add ESPN, Versus, and Discovery that would be a win for me.

 

[lxskllr]

Hmmm.

So for your service, you could imagine a box like a TiVo that would scan all the shows for a given week let's say, sporting events included, and you would simply tell the device what to grab and then you would be presented with an order summary that would be billed to your credit card. You could opt to watch any of the shows live or recorded.

Pricing would following the Apple iTunes model in a way.

Exactly, except the hardware would be optional. People could use their computers, or buy/rent a dedicated TV box.

 

[xBiffx]

I would take the OP's list, dump MSNBC, CSPAN, and maybe Lifetime but add USA and TNT. That I would be willing to pay $40 max a month for and they would all be HD already.

 

[Modelworks]

If only it could happen. Blame the broadcasters though not the cable companies. The broadcast companies are the ones forcing you into packages because they don't allow cable or satellite companies to buy just one channel they have to buy discovery,TLC,Animal Planet, Military channel, discovery kids, as one group, it is all or nothing.

 

[PingSpike]

I keep lobbying for canceling our dish. Here's my list:

Food Network
HBO now that game of thrones is on again
Over the air available channels for football

That is seriously the only shit I care about on there. I watch some of the other channels sometimes, that is true. But it'd be better if I didn't have them and instead just slammed my fingers in a drawer repeatedly for the period of time I otherwise would have been watching watching them as it would do less lasting damage.

I mostly watch netflix now. And I love Chopped. To bad HBO has a streaming service you can only get if you already pay for it over cable, which is fucking pointless.

 

[Gillbot]

If only it could happen. Blame the broadcasters though not the cable companies. The broadcast companies are the ones forcing you into packages because they don't allow cable or satellite companies to buy just one channel they have to buy discovery,TLC,Animal Planet, Military channel, discovery kids, as one group, it is all or nothing.

Not to mention they force you to bundle in all the crappy public channels nobody wants. If it went as la carte, those would all but disappear.

 

[ElFenix]

Not to mention they force you to bundle in all the crappy public channels nobody wants. If it went as la carte, those would all but disappear.

if a la carte is ever done cable companies will most likely still carry anything that doesn't charge them a per subscriber fee. so, no, they wouldn't necessarily disappear.

 

[rudeguy]

if a la carte is ever done cable companies will most likely still carry anything that doesn't charge them a per subscriber fee. so, no, they wouldn't necessarily disappear.

But who will pay to make the shows on those networks?

 

[rudeguy]

If only it could happen. Blame the broadcasters though not the cable companies. The broadcast companies are the ones forcing you into packages because they don't allow cable or satellite companies to buy just one channel they have to buy discovery,TLC,Animal Planet, Military channel, discovery kids, as one group, it is all or nothing.

The digital transition will help this greatly . Sdv is going to really help cut the fat.

 

[ElFenix]

But who will pay to make the shows on those networks?

on public channels?

 

[JimKiler]

But who will pay to make the shows on those networks?

Advertisers and the channels since they can promote other shows. I assume just because we go ala carte advertising will not go away. In fact it could become more prevalent.

 

[Thebobo]

CNN
MSNBC
Discovery
Science Channel
Animal Planet
Smithsonian channel
Research Channel
Current Network
RT
History #1 and 2
Nat Geo #1 and 2
HBO
Stars
Epix
PBS

Should make a thread Your favorite channel on your remote list.

 

[mnewsham]

All i fucking want is HBO fuck everyone just give me HBO!!!

I would pay 25-30 bucks for all HBO channels and HBO on demand.

 

[vi edit]

I just wish HBO would would let me pay them $10 a month and stream to my Apple TV or Roku or PS3, ect on demand. Factory direct. Fuck the cable company.

 

[Via]

I can't see a la carte ever happening because of sports programming alone. The entire infrastructure of that multi-multi-billion dollar business is based on the fact that everyone that wants decent cable (or satellite) has to pay for sports programming as well.

Remember the hysterical, screechy media blitz ESPN put on when Cox tried to take them off of basic cable 5 or so years ago?

 

[DaveSimmons]

I wouldn't pay anything for a service, but I'd pay per piece for individual shows. $1 per show if it goes away after watching, and $2 per show if I get to keep it.

FYI, Amazon instant videos offers that now for many shows ($2 to own). Some are more expensive though -- HBO makes them charge $3/episode for Game of Thrones in SD, or $4 if you want HD.

For me, I'm so used to watching shows without commercials, unedited and when I want to see them that I'm not really interested in channels any more.

BBC America edits shows like MI-5/Spooks for time and content so I'd rather wait for discs or streaming than have the channel.

 

[SunnyD]

$10 for basic local broadcast redistribution +
$2 for each a'la carte channel

In my case, it would end up being:
Nick Jr.
Nickelodian
HGTV
Food Network

Out of the 200-some-odd channels we get with DirecTV, those are the ones we watch.

 

[rivan]

$10 for basic local broadcast redistribution +
$2 for each a'la carte channel

In my case, it would end up being:
Nick Jr.
Nickelodian
HGTV
Food Network

Out of the 200-some-odd channels we get with DirecTV, those are the ones we watch.

Pretty close to my list, but the wife really wants Bravo for all it's trashy TV.

 

[preslove]

The most egregious actor in all this is Disney. They force cable companies to buy a bundled cable package with ESPN, Disney channel, and a few others. Don't want the Disney channel on basic cable? Then you don't get ESPN. This is why Disney can have their stupid channel on basic cable without external ads.

I just wish HBO would would let me pay them $10 a month and stream to my Apple TV or Roku or PS3, ect on demand. Factory direct. Fuck the cable company.

This is what I want. Plus AMC and Comedy Central. Instead, I just wait a day and torrent them. $0 for them.

 

[soulcougher73]

will never happen because it would mean less money for the cables companies.

 

[PricklyPete]

I am in the same boat...I have no interest in the current model. Actually I really just want a pay for each show model (including news, sporting events, etc).

 

[Lemon law]

I am with GT here, I used to have satellite TV, but when prices skyrocketed and quality went down, Dish get nothing from me and won't until they offer an a-la carte menu.