Guest eejay Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 It's another of my pet peeves that I can't do anything about, and try to ignore. Until there is a change of rules in the FCC and how our providers can mess with the channels we get, we are forced into having religious programming into the packages we select from. Yes...we can turn to another channel, which is my option, but in some ways it still annoys me that it's just another way the religious zealots get to push their message on the unsuspecting. I have heard talk of being able to pick your channels 'a la carte' but have not recently heard any more about it. Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike D Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 Well you can also add to that list: shopping channels, infomercial channels, spanish channels (I don't speak spanish so there's no point), kids channels (no kids so they just take up space), craft/homemaker channels, etc. etc. etc. Progamming these days is becoming more and more targeted to special interests so the only thing I can see is eventual ala carte. Otherwise soon we'll have thousands of channels when most people only want/need a few. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knitterman Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 Well you can also add to that list: shopping channels, infomercial channels, spanish channels (I don't speak spanish so there's no point), kids channels (no kids so they just take up space), craft/homemaker channels, etc. etc. etc. Progamming these days is becoming more and more targeted to special interests so the only thing I can see is eventual ala carte. Otherwise soon we'll have thousands of channels when most people only want/need a few. Completely agreed (but we simply MUST keep the craft/homemaker channels). I have asked my local provider (Comcast) about it and was told that the only way to eliminate selected channels would be for me to eliminate everything and settle for just the basic-basic almost-nothing channels. Since they are able to monitor the viewing habits of their subscribers (whattaya think those digital boxes and convertors are for?? that's how they turn on and off the pay-per-view things at the touch of button on your remote, after all), it would seem easy enough to bill for channels actually watched, but they would lose money, so they aren't about to do that, unless EVERYone complaints and/or completely shuts off their service. On a side note, since those digital convertor boxes (and all remote-control electronics) are always on 24/7 and just "sleeping" most of the time, I have them all plugged into a power strip just like I use for the computer set-up. If I'm not looking at TV, the whole thing gets turned off, and then the powerstrip is also turned off, saving a bit of electricity in the process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike D Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 Completely agreed (but we simply MUST keep the craft/homemaker channels). I guess I do occassionally watch home improvement shows, but it's usually just because there's nothing else on that looks interesting. I mostly watch financial/business channels like CNBC or Bloomberg, but I am sure there are plenty of people who could care less about those, just like I am with shopping channels. I guess everyone has their own interest and tastes and so the cable companies try to accomodate as many as possible. As for the religious channels, I will say one thing those shows can be good for the comedy aspect. Televangelists are the biggest drama queens on the face of the planet and in private they're all about "Keep that tithe money rolling in, bitches!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest eejay Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 Completely agreed (but we simply MUST keep the craft/homemaker channels). I guess I do occassionally watch home improvement shows, but it's usually just because there's nothing else on that looks interesting. I mostly watch financial/business channels like CNBC or Bloomberg, but I am sure there are plenty of people who could care less about those, just like I am with shopping channels. I guess everyone has their own interest and tastes and so the cable companies try to accomodate as many as possible. As for the religious channels, I will say one thing those shows can be good for the comedy aspect. Televangelists are the biggest drama queens on the face of the planet and in private they're all about "Keep that tithe money rolling in, bitches!" I would agree that sometimes watching their performances is indeed much more funny than a sitcom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexyLady Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 I've never been able to understand how anybody actually believes a thing that comes out of their mouths! AMEN!! BY THE GRACE OF GOD, BE HEAL-EDA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
par4dcourse Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 It's a constant struggle in my house between wife's home decorating stuff and my science channels. I'm a night owl, and cable programmers think anyone awake after midnight needs a: a new or used car (below dealer cost, honest!) b: news and more news or c: a good savin'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gradstu09 Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 Religious broadcasters will fight tooth and nail to prevent a la carte cable billing, and they will be joined by other special interest channels b/c no one would watch them if they weren't included in the default channel package. A la carte is something most consumers want (I watch very little TV, but I would watch more if I had only five channels that I knew had content I wanted to see) but that most television producers are scared of. The argument is that they cannot reach new audiences without consumers being forced to pay for a package that includes their channels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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