I have a different take on this mess and neither Viacom or direct TV are solving any problem here. They are both rat finks promoting non competitive and non free market behavior.
But here is the root of the snit, Viacom channels who are not worth a penny IMHO, goes to Direct TV and says give me a raise. Certain some tiny majority of Direct TV subscribers will howl even if the majority of its subscribers would not miss Viacom garbage a bit. But eventually Direct TV may be forced to pay Viacom more, And then pass those increased costs to its customers, regardless if they think Viacom is worth a dime or not. Rinse and repeat for all those other 500 channels and nothing on in subscription TV who play the same game, and we can see why subscription TV has gone through the roof sand will get ever more expensive in the future.
But do we, the American people have a free market and which rat fink is the bigger rat fink when they are both turds?
When a free Market in subscription TV is defined by letting the consumers law of supply and demand to set the market value of any given channel. If some chamnel charges too much, why should not we American consumers be able to say, you ain't worth what you are charging. And if the howlers and moaners want to give Viacom a raise they can opt to do so. That is a free Market.
But no, every subscription TV provider, be they cable, satellite or even fios or Uverse based, hate a free market too and are the other turd in the ripoff off of American consumers equation. Because I can't buy just the channels I want, that seldom exceeded eight when I had Dish network, no I am supposed to buy this huge package of largely worthless crap channels I would almost pay to not get.
Face the facts folks, we will not have a free market in subscription TV until we get a free choice on what channels to buy and not buy.
But for about 12 years now, its been a Mexican standoff between me and the Dish network. I own all the equipment to come crawling back to Dish TV tomorrow, and hell will freeze over before I will reup until I get to choose my channels. Net result we both lose. Yes I would like some of them premium channels back, but I now have some 40 discrete Over the Air choices in high definition with an antenna for FREE. Free Free.