Let me put in another 2 cents worth. First, thank you Truqui, you came up with many great points. Clearly, VOOM's forte is HD, but if they don't get more subs they won't be around much longer. They are doing something which is smart and going after another market. If you have studied languages you would know that it takes any where between 7-10 years to fully assimilate a language and that is if you speak and hear it spoken every day. I am glad that when I lived in Spain in the very early 1990's I was able to listen to American music and see a little bit of American TV. Luckily for me Spain wasn't filled with a population that expected foreigners to totally forget about their culture. On days that I really missed the US I would walk to my Burger King and order a Whopper Con Queso. I still have to disagree with Great Mac in many of his arguments. Sure, bandwith is limited, but in the near future with MPEG-4 we will be able to see many more channels. Let's hope that VOOM keeps expanding its audience instead of limiting it to a select few. If that means that I have to put up with channels that I don't neccessarily enjoy, so in the long run I can keep some amazing HD channels, then so be it. Let's try not to categorize a specific group of people and say that they are poor and not likely to pay for VOOM's service. How much contact do you have with Hispanics? When I used to teach ESL I went over to many of my students' homes and nearly every family had E* so they could have a little bit of home in their new country.
2 New Channels added
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Although your Spanish is correct, why?SactoCal said:
The topic is about 2 new channels added and BTW they are in Spanish...
Hey when other channels were added many posted their opinions, likes, dislikes, if they needed them or not, etc.
This is the same thing, some will like them some won't!
Maybe your comment was joke and if it was, well ...that's your humor!
But as to your previous post
well it just shows your true colors...SactoCal said:
The important thing is that Voom is growing and and "growing up", that's a good sign!
I agree.. The census stats that were posted are very selective. Lets see the stats on the percentage of those 13.3 mil that are collecting govt assitance (welfare, SSI, public housing, etc), also how many are making more than minimum wage or say $8/hour.GreatMac said:
It may seem sad, but the probability of making the sort of money you should be making (assuming your priorities are straight) before buying an HDTV is much lower if you dont speak the native language.
Foreign TV channels on Satellite are not an American phenomenon. These sites from Mexico to Japan have channels from lots of different countries including American channels. It's a business and they exist to make money. period!!!
http://www.lyngsat.com/packages/skyperfectv3.html
http://www.lyngsat.com/packages/skyitalia.html
http://www.lyngsat.com/packages/skymexico.html
http://www.lyngsat.com/packages/skyperfectv3.html
http://www.lyngsat.com/packages/skyitalia.html
http://www.lyngsat.com/packages/skymexico.html
Because I think that it is no longer a discussion really about the two spanish channels, its more about opinions on multi-language programming and if we should or should not cater to a select minority. The decision is money based and the information has been divulged to to the forum participants that the 2 spanish channels have been added. This is the NEWS section, not the I WANT TO GET ON A SOAP BOX section.truqui said:
Yes, the colors that make up my heritage are very true thank you. I am a minority, have been homeless, jobless, poor, not-so-poor and many other things. I can see beyond my own color thank you, as some cannot. I think if someone wants a publication or some other media in a special format such as a foriegn language, they can order it special or pay the appropriate premiums.truqui said:
ROFLMAO, discussion about 2 channels... ya right.
calikarim said:
I registered just to respond to this and Zombie's post. You are very wrong here. I subscribed to Voom mostly for there Worldsport channel. I jumped out of my sofa and my heart almost stopped when I saw ESPN Deportes this morning. I have wished for this channel ever since it started. This is what Voom should have done before, offer channels that other providers do not offer. I have personally helped about 2000 Mexican-Americans like myself subsribe to Dish Network because of there Spanish language lineup. I know atleast 200 of them that will now get Voom because of this one channel. That is why you are so wrong here. The Hispanic Soccer market is huge. Voom could only muster 46,000 subscribers on there current programming and if they market there new addition correctly it will increase substantially, so this channel addition should be good news for all current Voom customers. As for us not buying HD sets, that is also wrong. All my friends and I adopted HD sets early on, not because of HD programming but because of the widescreen for DVD. I see many Hispanics buying HD sets at my local Costco. As for Zombie's comments about us being poor, I am an IT Manager here in California and am willing to bet my house that I make double the salary you make. Please do not underestimate us. My primary language is English, but I still watch the spanish language stations on Dish Network half the time. Not because of the language but because of the programming.
It's working for them...why not for Voom?
Here's a piece of the story...
DirecTV's Spanish Steps
New services, channels target growing market
By Staff -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/21/2005
For Hispanic viewers, DBS delivery is the popular choice, particularly among newer immigrants who are more accustomed to satellite TV and believe it offers more channels from their homelands than cable. In many markets, EchoStar and DirecTV often have the edge over cable.
“Satellite has always had great impact on the Hispanic market,” says Adriana Waterston, marketing director for Horowitz Associates, a research firm that zeroes in on the Hispanic market. “When cable wasn't even interested in the market, the satellite companies were already offering Spanish-language programming packages at very affordable prices.”
EchoStar's Dish Network has offered Hispanic programming and channels since 1996 and now offers three separate packages. DirecTV, the larger of the two DBS services, has been offering its DirecTV Para Todos (DirecTV for Everyone) for five years. In this Q&A with Magaly Morales, Neal Tiles, DirecTV EVP of marketing, explains the DBS provider's plans for expansion under the new management of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.
Tell us about your current marketing strategy to reach the Hispanic community.
The service was designed for and is being marketed to Hispanic households that are multigenerational and have different levels of acculturation. These consumers have a wide variety of Spanish-language viewing and speaking needs, which is why we provide both English- and Spanish-language programming as a bundle within all of our DirecTV Para Todos packages. The focus is Spanish-dominant, bilingual and multigenerational households or a bicultural Hispanic household.
We've done extensive research assessing needs, the availability of channels, and drilling down to the packages and price points.
What has been the reaction?
The platform experienced 160% growth compared to the same quarter of the prior year. It is clear this programming strategy, along with our targeted marketing efforts, has paid off.
The idea is to give programming from several Spanish-speaking countries?
We recognize that U.S. Hispanics have diverse needs when it comes to television viewing: programming that caters to the needs and interests of each of the different nationalities within the Hispanic community.
For example, we offer ONCE México and México 22 direct from Mexico; and TyC Sports or Telefe Internacional from Argentina; Caracol from Colombia; WAPA-America from Puerto Rico; Colorvision from the Dominican Republic; Ecuavisa from Ecuador; TV Chile from Chile, and so forth. We really live up to our name: DirecTV Para Todos—for everyone, not just one specific segment of the market.
Which kind of programming is most successful with your Hispanic viewers?
Sports—particularly soccer—is immensely popular, and we have created what we believe is the strongest sports programming lineup of any Spanish-language pay-TV platform, with GolTV, the only 24-hour soccer channel, added this month and our existing programming exclusive to TyC Sports and Fox Sports en Español.
What you do think is the most significant advantage that satellite has over cable?
Cable is at a competitive disadvantage in most Spanish-language markets, particularly the smaller markets where [operators are] reluctant to commit capacity to Spanish-language channels that will only be seen by a small number of viewers. With our national reach, we have the ability to provide DirecTV Para Todos to every Hispanic household that wants it, no matter how small the community, no matter where it's located in the U.S.
Here's a piece of the story...
DirecTV's Spanish Steps
New services, channels target growing market
By Staff -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/21/2005
For Hispanic viewers, DBS delivery is the popular choice, particularly among newer immigrants who are more accustomed to satellite TV and believe it offers more channels from their homelands than cable. In many markets, EchoStar and DirecTV often have the edge over cable.
“Satellite has always had great impact on the Hispanic market,” says Adriana Waterston, marketing director for Horowitz Associates, a research firm that zeroes in on the Hispanic market. “When cable wasn't even interested in the market, the satellite companies were already offering Spanish-language programming packages at very affordable prices.”
EchoStar's Dish Network has offered Hispanic programming and channels since 1996 and now offers three separate packages. DirecTV, the larger of the two DBS services, has been offering its DirecTV Para Todos (DirecTV for Everyone) for five years. In this Q&A with Magaly Morales, Neal Tiles, DirecTV EVP of marketing, explains the DBS provider's plans for expansion under the new management of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.
Tell us about your current marketing strategy to reach the Hispanic community.
The service was designed for and is being marketed to Hispanic households that are multigenerational and have different levels of acculturation. These consumers have a wide variety of Spanish-language viewing and speaking needs, which is why we provide both English- and Spanish-language programming as a bundle within all of our DirecTV Para Todos packages. The focus is Spanish-dominant, bilingual and multigenerational households or a bicultural Hispanic household.
We've done extensive research assessing needs, the availability of channels, and drilling down to the packages and price points.
What has been the reaction?
The platform experienced 160% growth compared to the same quarter of the prior year. It is clear this programming strategy, along with our targeted marketing efforts, has paid off.
The idea is to give programming from several Spanish-speaking countries?
We recognize that U.S. Hispanics have diverse needs when it comes to television viewing: programming that caters to the needs and interests of each of the different nationalities within the Hispanic community.
For example, we offer ONCE México and México 22 direct from Mexico; and TyC Sports or Telefe Internacional from Argentina; Caracol from Colombia; WAPA-America from Puerto Rico; Colorvision from the Dominican Republic; Ecuavisa from Ecuador; TV Chile from Chile, and so forth. We really live up to our name: DirecTV Para Todos—for everyone, not just one specific segment of the market.
Which kind of programming is most successful with your Hispanic viewers?
Sports—particularly soccer—is immensely popular, and we have created what we believe is the strongest sports programming lineup of any Spanish-language pay-TV platform, with GolTV, the only 24-hour soccer channel, added this month and our existing programming exclusive to TyC Sports and Fox Sports en Español.
What you do think is the most significant advantage that satellite has over cable?
Cable is at a competitive disadvantage in most Spanish-language markets, particularly the smaller markets where [operators are] reluctant to commit capacity to Spanish-language channels that will only be seen by a small number of viewers. With our national reach, we have the ability to provide DirecTV Para Todos to every Hispanic household that wants it, no matter how small the community, no matter where it's located in the U.S.
folide said:
I'll take the bet, everyone here is my witness (of course i never said i'd put anything up so i have nothing to loose).. I'm a software developer and I make a decent penny.
I didn't say anything about all hispanics not making money. I said that if you are going to count all million in the US population you are crazy. If you look at statistics on poverty level and welfare levels among most hispanics you'd have to assume (assuming most people have their head on straight) that you'd have to assume at least 50% don't have HDTV (among any race you could assume this). Also hispanics tend to have larger families (not that theres anything wrong with that), meaning more people in a single home thus dividing that by 4 on average.
I'm glad you know upstanding people who make good money and keep the economy moving. There are poor people of every race in this country, I'm not singling out hispanics (my great grandfather is from brazil, which technically makes me hispanic) but the thread was about the need for more hispanic channels on an already dwindling quality signal.. Once we have a 2nd sat then they can add all they want, but by far the sports (and I don't even hardly watch sports) channels are a better bet to get more subs..
Deal with the cold hard truth before you jump to conclusions about me.. I didn't say all hispanics were this or that. I said statistically speaking many can't (by what they report as income) afford HD....
<Added>
Also note that if you read my last post I did qualify with "if you don't speak the native language." and never said ALL..
You are right in that Hispanics adopt new technologies slower than others but they eventually do as is the case with computers and broadband. First generation hispanics in the US will not care much for HD but as we get into further hispanic generations in the US the language and economic differences are increasingly less but still keep cultural attributes like Music, Food, and Futbol (Soccer). It is a good strategy for Voom to target the Hispanic market if they want to survive in the long run. In two to three years all programming will be in HD and Voom will have to compete on channel availability alone and not just HD.
folide said:
Now that is a much better and honest argument.. I can respect that.
BTW Just to back up my initial argument, I pulled the census stats and 8.2% of whites-non hispanic, 10.5% white alone (no other race category selected), 11.8% of asians, 22.5% of hispanics, and 24.4% of blacks alone(no other race category selected) are listed as in poverty in 2003 (all have increased over 2002).
I agree with needing to compete on programming. I had to wait for certain channels before voom was no longer and add-on service for me.. The problem right now is that PQ is suffering and the more they add means the more they will have to compress.
Adding 2 channels that will make a few people (who already have the service) happy wont help add many subs. They should wait and add a Hispanic Plus Pack when they can offer more channels and have the sat space to do so..
Remember many of us using VOOM have (or had) it in addition to another service because they don't offer everything. We were happy with the HD quality, but its been suffering with the new encoders (and bad settings)..
This has been true for every ethnic group that arrived in this country -- the ethnic group changes over generations, and the nation changes as well. That's what makes us all red blooded Americans.folide said:
This is a good point! You old-timers might remember a few decades ago (1962 if memory serves) when NBC was known as the color TV channel, and a color TV program was preceded by the NBC peacock with the color paintbrush tail, the flute music, and the announcement: "The following program is brought to you in living color." Someday HD will be taken for granted, too. Voom has to stand on more than being "the HD leader". I wish Voom could lead with their Voom Exclusives. But unfortunately, there aren't enough people like me.folide said:
This is intended to be funny and a friend of mine said it when he came over and saw the message for the two new channels. He said, oh look VOOM has sunk to a new low and is now gearing the service towards Wal-Mart employees. I nearly sucked coffee up my nose 
bryan27 said:This is intended to be funny and a friend of mine said it when he came over and saw the message for the two new channels. He said, oh look VOOM has sunk to a new low and is now gearing the service towards Wal-Mart employees. I nearly sucked coffee up my nose
I see nothing funny about Voom in Walmart. It would be their smartest move yet. The masses that shop there will in large part, decide whether or not HDTV is successful or not. We may like to think of ourselves as early adopters or affluent and thats fine. But our little hobby isnt going anywhere without them. So why not have Voom there?
I'm with you vurbano, it's going to take mass adoption to keep Voom going over the long haul. I say to Voom, learn from Sears and get your product more effectively into Target/WalMart/BB/etc. As soon as Average Joe sees that he can get Playboy HD on Voom, they're likely to fly off the shelves faster than the rollback priced 8-packs of Pringles and the 12-gauge shotguns...
shanewalker said:
Its going to take a mass adoption of HDTV in general for any HD service to grow. Or for a digital transition to occur. And walmart is the place for it to happen. BB and CC are not going to give you 85% penetration required for the analog shutoff.
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vurbano said:
It will not be in Wal-Mart for at least 3 more years, D* has a contract with them that was signed two years ago ( 5 year contract ) that is why Wal-Mart dropped E* back then, D* does not allow the big stores to carry two DBS providers to sell, that is why D* is in places like Best Buy and Circuit City and E* is in places like Radio Shack.
bruce said:
I know and I think even CompUsa has fallen to E* or D* as well. Thats why I said it "would" be their smartest move. I never said it was possible. ANd the comment you quoted was reffering to HDTV sales.
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