topic Re: Cable Provider Taking a Stand in TV and Movies

Cable Provider Taking a Stand

On It — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 12:44:10 GMT

Our cable provider sent an email that it will no longer carry AMC Network channels which include AMC, BBC America, WeTV, BBC World News, IFC, and Sundance. It explained that AMC launched AMC+ streaming app last year where it will launch early access to "best of AMC" shows and movies. Fans of the popular programming would need to wait for shows to air on TV.

The email further explained our provider does not agree with the network's decision to move valued programming from TV distribution to distribution exclusively on its streaming service. "Asking TV subscribers to pay more while the network carve-out highly valued programming and delivers less to subscribers is unreasonable." The concluding paragraph explained they negotiate the best programming at the best value.

The cable providers are being squeezed out of business. Now that the networks have the capability to provide direct access via streaming, thus earning direct revenue from its viewers, they are providing cable customers second tier programming at higher and higher prices. I do not subscribe to streaming services so I am unaware of costs and how they will compound. What will the cost be for CBS, NBC, ABC, Discovery, ESPN, USA, TNT, AMC, and other channel favorites when having to purchase access individually?

I am saddened to see an industry in peril that has provided my entertainment most of my adult life.

Re: Cable Provider Taking a Stand

Tique — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 12:46:51 GMT

@On It while they are taking a stand are they also lowering the cost of your monthly bill since they are no longer carrying a substantial number of channels which were previously included?

Re: Cable Provider Taking a Stand

kaydee50 — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 12:47:32 GMT

Who is your cable provider?? We have RCN and could switch to Comcast. IMO those who switched from cable to streaming services to save money may find they made a mistake.

Re: Cable Provider Taking a Stand

4kitties — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 12:47:37 GMT

Who is your provider?

I am surprised that these cable providers are suddenly so caring about us subscribers.

Re: Cable Provider Taking a Stand

On It — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 12:56:52 GMT

TDS. I have not studied their business model but they seem to provide service to underserved areas. We are not in our primary home at the moment, but the people who live here have no other choice in cable companies.

As for costs they charge $60 per month less than I am paying at my primary home for similar service and equipment.

Re: Cable Provider Taking a Stand

ScrapHappy — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 13:00:06 GMT

I've heard of people wanting to "cut the cord" to cable for years. Mostly citing the continuing rising costs. I'm glad that cable services are getting more competition. They should lower their rates. I noticed that many "celebrities" shows are ending, like the Kardashians (never watched it). It may be ending on the E! channel but they've moved to a streaming service, I think HULU. The same with many HGTV and Food Network shows, they're moving to discovery plus. Conan announced he's leaving TBS for, I think, HBO. Just about everybody my husband talks to at work doesn't have cable anymore. It's all Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO, etc.

Re: Cable Provider Taking a Stand

4kitties — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 13:04:06 GMT

I have Comcast/Xfinity and I have never felt that they are concerned in the least about the subscribers. They are always cutting the channels we get to put them in higher add on packages and raising prices.

Re: Cable Provider Taking a Stand

RespectLife — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 13:08:54 GMT

@Tique wrote:
@On It while they are taking a stand are they also lowering the cost of your monthly bill since they are no longer carrying a substantial number of channels which were previously included?

Exactly!!

What a brilliant piece of marketing.

How unreasonable, how unfair...we are standing up for the consumer...clearly working!

I don't necessarily like that some shows go to + and streaming...but the channels ARE still there with other programming. Eliminating those networks should NET YOU a big reduction...while they are 'standing up for you'.

Re: Cable Provider Taking a Stand

jeanlake — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 13:09:49 GMT

Can we forsee getting individualized plans where we select and pay for ONLY what we want? I like BBC, however, there's another news cable show I don't tune into but it's in our package. It's like our closet. We gravitate towards 25% of clothes in our closet. We only watch 25% of networks on our cable package. We also have Netflix.

Re: Cable Provider Taking a Stand

On It — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 13:25:45 GMT

We have not been advised of how billing will be impacted. 3 or 4 years ago they refused to pay CBS the rate it was asking. The negotiations dragged on for a few weeks. Multiple negotiations and negotiators later CBS was back on the air. During that time the company provided updated statements about the negotiations and gave its customers a credit on our monthly bills to compensate for the missing programming.

People in rural and underserved areas do not have access to faster internet speeds that cities and more densely populated areas enjoy. The one size fits all model simply does not apply when discussing rural and urban areas. Who knows how this will play out.

My original post was asking how the compound effect of having to purchase multiple apps to receive programming is going to impact costs. No doubt as subscribers are "hooked" the apps will start raising their prices.

Re: Cable Provider Taking a Stand

Jaspersmom — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 13:25:23 GMT

How mighty mighty of the cable company. Where were they all these years when costs rocketed and they forced (and continue) to force unwanted channels on us because each subscriber was forced to buy a package? This is a joke. Cable companies are a monopoly and now these channels have decided not to do business with them. The owner of the cable company where I live is one of the riches men in the country and you'd most likely recognize his name. He didn't give one iota of concern to me or other residents in this region when he took control decades ago and fought against any competitors. Now at least some type of competition seems to be entering the market.

Re: Cable Provider Taking a Stand

VaBelle35 — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 13:42:16 GMT

I thought Judge Judy was ending, but she's just moving to IMDb. Similar show and she's bringing some of her behind the scenes people. Not sure if Byrd is going with her or not.

Re: Cable Provider Taking a Stand

4kitties — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 13:49:04 GMT

I am a Judge Judy fan, but will not pay any extra or add a steaming channel to see her.

Re: Cable Provider Taking a Stand

ValuSkr — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 14:06:12 GMT

I cut cable long ago, but it's hard to feel sorry for cable companies. They've written they're own death warrant. For so long, they raised prices every year and refused to negotiate. Going forward, they'll make more of their money off internet subscriptions.

As far for consumers, they'll have to make do with less. Who needs hundreds of channels anyway. Just subscribe to the ones you really want.

Re: Cable Provider Taking a Stand

On It — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 14:36:56 GMT

One last comment then I have to get some cleaning done. I forgot to mention there is no antenna service here. Many parts of the southwest as well as other rural areas have that issue.

Re: Cable Provider Taking a Stand

stevieb — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 14:52:49 GMT

@Tique wrote:
@On It while they are taking a stand are they also lowering the cost of your monthly bill since they are no longer carrying a substantial number of channels which were previously included?

That was the first thing I wondered as well @Tique. I have little sympathy for cable. For years they've ruled the roost, offering subpar programming at premium prices and everything there is also an add-on. As things stand now, I still have cable and don't do much streaming but I have a feeling all that's about to change.

Re: Cable Provider Taking a Stand

Spurt — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 14:14:30 GMT

@jeanlake wrote:
Can we forsee getting individualized plans where we select and pay for ONLY what we want? I like BBC, however, there's another news cable show I don't tune into but it's in our package. It's like our closet. We gravitate towards 25% of clothes in our closet. We only watch 25% of networks on our cable package. We also have Netflix.

@jeanlake @On It @Jaspersmom @stevieb

Sadly this model of only pay for what we want wont work....even the mighty Oprah gave up on it when she did her research....You see the companies that distribute the channels to the cable companies throw in these extra channels at no extra charge in their package as a perk.....If customers got to pick only what they watched it would actually end up costing more to get invididual channels since it would be more costly for some of the channels that had fewer subscribers ....

The streaming services are up against the same thing as the cable companies found out...For example, my sister cut the cord from Spectrum and went with You Tube TV. She saved money, but found out she doesnt get that much live programming for $64.99 but it does have many popular channels that could be streamed "on-demand". And this does NOT include the cost of her internet service...

However, You Tube found out the same thing the cable channels did...the distribution rights for some channels were two costly and with what You Tube was charging subscribers wasn't enough to make a profit so they started cutting back and deleting channels.... And Sling TV and other streaming services are increasing their prices and moving popular channels to another tier or package that come with an additional cost..... And Disney Plus and other streaming channels are already raising their prices too... In other words the consumer cant win for losing because even these alterantives to cable will eventually be charging what cable did to keep all the channels you like.....

And keep in mind you still need to purchase a high speed internet service for all these streaming companies and even then some people complain about buffering and freezing....

You can go the antenna route but that will be based on your area and where transmitters are located as to what and how many channels you will get....

So cutting the cord will save you money, but you also may have to sacrifice some channels you used to watch and enjoy..... And part of the savings on streaming is there is no sales tax charged but some States have already changed this and others are lining up to do the same...so another charge added to your bill....

Before you cut the cord, carefully do your research and evaluate your entertainment preferences ....

Re: Cable Provider Taking a Stand

stevieb — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 15:50:28 GMT

@Spurt My jury is still out as to what I'll do about TV but I can say that while I allegedly have hundreds of channels at my beck and call with cable, I watch very little on any of them and without adding more and more channels to my already exorbitant cable bill, the pickings are quite slim. Supposedly, in my area, I can get over 70 channels with an antenna. I need to investigate what they are and then, perhaps, I'll consider going that route and adding a streaming service or two. One thing is for certain, Cox Cable is not cutting me any deals so should I later decide to reup with them, I feel certain they'll welcome me back and probably give me some sort of time limited new subscriber discount. I'd probably stick with them for phone and internet, as I still prefer to maintain a land line, and of course I'll need an internet provider. I'm not interested in going over to Verizon or one of the fly-by-nights. Overall, television viewing and managing options has become a travesty.

Re: Cable Provider Taking a Stand

Spurt — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 20:34:01 GMT

@stevieb wrote:
@Spurt My jury is still out as to what I'll do about TV but I can say that while I allegedly have hundreds of channels at my beck and call with cable, I watch very little on any of them and without adding more and more channels to my already exorbitant cable bill, the pickings are quite slim. Supposedly, in my area, I can get over 70 channels with an antenna. I need to investigate what they are and then, perhaps, I'll consider going that route and adding a streaming service or two. One things for certain, Cox Cable is not cutting me any deals so should I later decide to reup with them, I feel certain they'll welcome me back and probably give me some sort of time limited new subscriber discount. I'd probably stick with them for phone and internet, as I still prefer to maintain a land line, of course, need an internet provider and am not interested in going over to Verizon or one of the fly-by-nights. Overall, television viewing and managing options has become a travesty.

@stevieb

TV has become one of these you can't win for losing proposals......All these cable channels and nothing to watch has become a daily mantra for me...😣😡

I researched and with an antenna Id get few options (but check this out, Id get DUPLICATE QVC and QVC 2 channels 😄)....Since Im a sport's fan with a streaming service you either dont have an option to view local sports and/or sport's channels due to licensing contracts with TV networks, cable systems, and the sport's leagues. Or I can switch to satellite, Direct TV, and pay a "measely" $400 extra to watch NFL games, and $182 for NBA games in addition to the satellite TV costs)....Even subscribing to a streaming service will cost extra for sports if they offer it at all.......

I guess my taste are weird because some of the other channels like TCM and AMC also a few other channels I like just happen to be on the "SPECIAL" tiers or "ENTERTAINMENT" packages that cost extra...so there goes more money....

Overall I found out it would end up costing me $35 extra a month to cut the cord to stream to get the FEW channels I actually watch now....😡 (including internet service)....Google "Cord Cutting Calculator" and articles on Cord Cutter's Guide...which will help you evaluate and calculate your options...

And I like I said these networks that merged into streaming services, taking a line from an old Carpenter song---"They've only just begun" and its just a matter of time before they tap into their "gold mine" and start going up in price ..............

Re: Cable Provider Taking a Stand

catter70 — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 17:56:51 GMT

I also have RCN cable but no other choice in cable carriers. My bill went up around $30 or so, but as far as I know, I've lost no channels. I don't have a smart TV, so I guess if I wanted streaming I'd have to use my computer to watch. I complain about the cost of cable, but almost half is taxes, etc. I did call the cable co. when my bill went up and at least they took off $15.00 as a long time customer discount. Not sure I'd want Dish or the other as they also take channels away. Seems like they have you over a barrel no matter what you do.