Is Dish making a mistake by naming its programming packages after precious metals?

[rtt2]

The latest Charlie Chat unveiled the fact that Dish will start to name its programming after precious metals. For example: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum.

I know Cablevision and Comcast use this type of classification.

Is this a mistake and making Dish too much like a cable company?

 

[mdonnelly]

More like credit cards and hotel points programs.

 

[Indy]

Well, if this means anything. Gold has gained almost $200 per ounce in the last 6 weeks. Maybe Dish will raise their prices accordingly!

 

[Tom Bombadil]

They should name the Voom "HD" package the "Fool's Gold" tier.

 

[volkodav]

dish already rating their tech in precious metals.

 

[dwcobb]

It is a fairly typical scheme. More of a challenge for them if they add something "above platinum" in the future. Electrum or Titanium have been used by some credit cards I gather, and of course there is always the "black card" approach that Amex uses for the extremely wealthy.

Still, it seems like Platinum will stay the 'everything including the kitchen sink' package. A more likely problem would arise if they wanted to add something between say silver and gold at some point (say a 90 channel package). It is a logical strategy for them to try to upgrade more of their AT60 type folks to something a little pricier.

 

[SatinKzo]

It is a fairly typical scheme. More of a challenge for them if they add something "above platinum" in the future. Electrum or Titanium have been used by some credit cards I gather, and of course there is always the "black card" approach that Amex uses for the extremely wealthy.

Still, it seems like Platinum will stay the 'everything including the kitchen sink' package. A more likely problem would arise if they wanted to add something between say silver and gold at some point (say a 90 channel package). It is a logical strategy for them to try to upgrade more of their AT60 type folks to something a little pricier.

maybe the dish Paladium package? Or Titanium? Einsteinium (wait, that's not a metal)

 

[iKramerica]

The Top 60/120/180 and everything pack was more confusing.

As for precious metals or gemstones, that's been a way to rate packages and programs for all types of services for hundreds of years.

Can't see how it can really hurt anything.

 

[Reefer123]

I could care less. They could call it good/better/best/bestest ( ) and I wouldn't care.

 

[new_to_hdtv]

who cares what they call their packages........... !sadroll As long as one knows what's included in each they could call them inny, meany, or minny moe. What's so confusing about the Top 60/120/180 and everything pack? Seems pretty self explanatory to me.

 

[maximum]

What's so confusing about the Top 60/120/180 and everything pack? Seems pretty self explanatory to me.

The only thing confusing is that Top 60/120/180 quickly gets outdated as they add and remove channels. The new naming convention has no relationship to the number of channels.

 

[Chris Freeland]

The only thing confusing is that Top 60/120/180 quickly gets outdated as they add and remove channels. The new naming convention has no relationship to the number of channels.

E* is only using the name's for their HD bundle's, their will still be AT60/120/180/AEP for those of us who still do not have HD.

 

[iKramerica]

for now.

the top XXX keeps changing, doesn't have the number listed, and there is a question whether the top 60 has the "top 60" channels...

 

[Stargazer]

I saw some ball cards back in the 90's do similar schemes and to extremes. I can only imagine what they are doing nowadays. They could go Platinum Plus.

 

[navychop]

Three years from now, it won't matter. There won't be any more SD only packages. I suspect the SD only packages will be phased out before the OTA digital transition is complete. It'll just be "digital" sometimes with HD. And some premium HD channels. But all content providers will be in digital format. No more analog feeds.

 

[SatinKzo]

As for precious metals or gemstones, that's been a way to rate packages and programs for all types of services for hundreds of years.

Ah yes, who can forget the Titanic platinum cruise special or even the Mayflower Gold package.

Hundreds of years? I need some examples cause I apparently missed something in history classes

 

[M Sparks]

What if a huge cachet of gold is discovered, or a silver mine collapses, reversing their relative values?

BTW, Bronze is not a "precious metal". It is a "conglomerated, alloyed, MONGREL class of metal." (specifically copper, tin, and sometimes zinc or lead.)

Platnum=More Gooder

 

[OoTLink]

Personally I think it should be:

AT60 -> Cheap package - for us cheap people
AT120 -> Former cable customer package
At180 -> Couch potato
AEP -> 1 step closer to bankrupt package. Seems every bad neighborhood has tons of dishes, they probably have AEP since ghetto dawgs love TV.

Make 2 more packages
? -> ESPN sucker package. The dude that drives a GMC listening to "the game", can recite their favorite TEAMS' rosters backwards and forwards, and probably plans to make a write in vote for bush next election. \

? -> Women's package. Television for women

Hrmm. LOL.

 

[iKramerica]

Ah yes, who can forget the Titanic platinum cruise special or even the Mayflower Gold package.
Hundreds of years? I need some examples cause I apparently missed something in history classes

There is the Olympic games of course, and silver, gold and diamond jubilees, and various other ways to tells us that gold is more valuable than "so-so silver and shameful bronze."

 

[Claude Greiner]

I actually like the new precious metal packages better than At60, 120 and 180.

The problem is that when you told a customer At180, they automatically assumed there where 180 channels which isn't a fair representaiton of the package when you figure in all the music crap.