OXYGEN Available !!

[cablewithaview]

I think you just discovered Charlies playbook. He demands the same rates as Comcast from the broadcasters. If they give it to him, he accepts. If they don't he fights and pulls the station if necessary. Odds are the loses will be minimal since it's usually temporary then when he has no more incentive to sign a deal, the broadcaster gives him a long term deal at or below the deal he wanted all along. This could tip the scales in favor of the cable/dbs companies in the long run if Charlie wins.

They get the same rate as Comcast, it's the little cable systems that has to watch them among other programmers. We caught Fox Sports trying to pull a fast one on us. They was going to charge us x amount above say Time Warner Cable. We nailed them to the wall on that, and now we have the same rates as Time Warner. Charlie likes to BS people in some make up fantasy world of his, 4 cent increase is what everyone recieved on Lifetime. as I have pointed out before, there are three options:
1. c band satellite w/ 4dtv
2. Cable TV
3. DirecTV
Before anyone says it, yes C Band is alive and available anywhere in the U.S.

 

[CPanther95]

Charlie likes to BS people in some make up fantasy world of his, 4 cent increase is what everyone recieved on Lifetime.

Was everyone also required to carry LRW when they renegotiated new contracts with Lifetime (post-LRW availability)? Was it free?

Does the fact that you and every other company out there bends over for any programmer that wants to add additional channels and fees mean that Charlie is wrong to negotiate with his company and subs' best interests at the forefront? Sounds like you (cable) are the one in a fantasy world, and your fantasy includes doing whatever you're told.

 

[Stacy A]

hmm..yep
found the cut & paste
http://www.lifetimetv.com/about/dish_email.php

Okay, click on Ice's link and then delete the canned message and write in a thank you note to Charlie - from a loyal Lifetime subscriber. This is great stuff. I wonder how many of these we could get off before Lifetime figured it out?

 

[Carl B]

I don't mind Charlie negotiating for the best deal from the content providers and my wife doesn't mind doing w/o Lifetime and LMN for a while to get that deal. What we both mind is adding Oxygen to our paid-for AT120 line-up and decreasing any chance that Lifetime and LMN will return. Oxygen is loony left garbage that caters to a very small fraction of the TV-watching female population.

My wife asked me last night why we have E* when we mostly watch the major networks via DTV OTA. W/o Lifetime and LMN, my justification grows weaker by the day (it boils down to ESPN being the primary reason to staying connected).

 

[Mark_AR]

I posted a *support* letter through that website. I wonder if it will get through. :devil:

Thanks for the idea Ice, but I bet E* has that server blocked.

 

[mattb]

"Thank you for showing your support of Lifetime. Check back frequently for updates about the DISH situation."

*laughs* Charlie got a thank you note Im not a fan of dropping channels but I also dont think channels should be able to play hardball "if you dont agree to this price increase and add "our other channels" we'll spit on you approach.

 

[jeffwtux]

I don't mind Charlie negotiating for the best deal from the content providers and my wife doesn't mind doing w/o Lifetime and LMN for a while to get that deal. What we both mind is adding Oxygen to our paid-for AT120 line-up and decreasing any chance that Lifetime and LMN will return. Oxygen is loony left garbage that caters to a very small fraction of the TV-watching female population.
My wife asked me last night why we have E* when we mostly watch the major networks via DTV OTA. W/o Lifetime and LMN, my justification grows weaker by the day (it boils down to ESPN being the primary reason to staying connected).

"looney left"=fiscally responsible. I'm a liberal, which means I'm fiscally respsonsible, the conerstone of liberalism in my 31 years. I'm 31 and there hasn't been a GOP president who has balanced the budget for one single year in my lifetime. I'm a SINGLE WORD VOTER: Deficit. BTW, the last GOP president to balance a budget 1 single year was Nixon his first year when he inherited LBJ's economy. It was all downhill from there.

 

[Carl B]

Off Topic:

If the Looney Left was fiscally responsible, they wouldn't spend all of their time trying to redistribute the wealth of the nation on the backs of middle class taxpayers.

Having been of voting age when LBJ and Nixon were in power, I can tell you that LBJ's fiscal policies were the catalyst for the runaway inflation of the 70s. Like Bush, LBJ didn't want to tax the people to pay for a war.

 

[cablewithaview]

Was everyone also required to carry LRW when they renegotiated new contracts with Lifetime (post-LRW availability)? Was it free?
Does the fact that you and every other company out there bends over for any programmer that wants to add additional channels and fees mean that Charlie is wrong to negotiate with his company and subs' best interests at the forefront? Sounds like you (cable) are the one in a fantasy world, and your fantasy includes doing whatever you're told.

LRW is an option, however programmers will give you a discounted rate for caring more of there channels. Say you bought all 3 from Lifetime Networks, you may get a 25% discount for doing so. I carry say Lifetime and I was going for LMN and my sales rep says for .04 cents more per sub you can get Real Women also, then sure that would be better than having one or two by themselves. I would be offering more for less.
Charlie wants his way, is he wrong, yes and no. These programmers answers to investors, there goal is profit (same for Charlie). Bottom line Charlie wants a bigger margin of profit for him and shareholders then actual value to the customer. How much of an increase is reasonable and how much is not? Would need to be answered. Programmers try to keep it the same across the board. If Lifetime charged Dish .10 cent less per sub then anyone else, then Lifetime would be back to square one with everyone when contracts expires. There could be some legal recourse with other providers. Lifetime has product they sell at a set price, Dish can take it or leave it. Dish is not there biggest customer, cable still and always will be the biggest customers when it comes to programmers. Comcast is there #1 customer, after the Adelphia deal Time Warner will be 2nd or 3rd depending on how the subs fall. Cable in general still has a strong foot hold with programmers. Comcast, Time Warner, Cox and others have there own channels they offer. These companies make money off of Dish when Dish buys Style, E!, G4 , Comcast Sports Net, Golf, Sprout, TNT, TBS, Turner South, CNN etc. So who really benefits? Besides cable, DirecTV has some channels in there fold also. Dish could be forced into a bind real badly with these groups when you think about the possibility. Dish could end up forcing themselves out of the arena period. So fantasy is Charlie's thing while reality is for everyone else. It's called business and sometimes it can get ugly if you bring it on yourself.

 

[CPanther95]

A lot of writing just to avoid the question.

You're blowing smoke up people's asses if you are really trying to suggest that Lifetime offered LRW in addition to the other channels and it was cheaper than the 2 by themselves - or even $0.04 per sub more for all three.

You are correct about the extortion tactics of the major cable companies, and the major programming companies. Charlie would be in serious trouble if he pissed those companies off - fortunately Lifetime is not one of those major players, so extortion didn't work.

 

[cablewithaview]

A lot of writing just to avoid the question.
You're blowing smoke up people's asses if you are really trying to suggest that Lifetime offered LRW in addition to the other channels and it was cheaper than the 2 by themselves - or even $0.04 per sub more for all three.
You are correct about the extortion tactics of the major cable companies, and the major programming companies. Charlie would be in serious trouble if he pissed those companies off - fortunately Lifetime is not one of those major players, so extortion didn't work.

I gave figures as an example only, and some programmers will offer something close to that in some cases. Each programmer is different. Viacom will offer big discounts for more of there products you carry. If I carried only Spike and nothing else, I would pay as much for it as I would for 3 Viacom channels if I carried two more with it. It depends a lot on how it is packaged.

 

[CPanther95]

Well, instead of slamming Charlie and claiming he's in a "fantasy world" regarding Lifetime - you may want to get the facts relevant in this case. Not fictional numbers that are so vague that they are meaningless.

The packaging is exactly the point. Packaging 3 channels at a 76% increase, but only releasing to the public the amount of increase for two of the channels (and only for the first year) is so transparent.

Taking Lifetime's side and ridiculing E* based on the fact that "Golly gee, some programmers offer a discount if you carry more channels" is either intentionally ignorant, or it's naively ignorant.

 

[cablewithaview]

"Golly gee, some programmers offer a discount if you carry more channels" is either intentionally ignorant, or it's naively ignorant.

apparently you haven't read programming contracts. So don't make a comment like that unless you have done it yourself. Each programmer has a clause that gives discounts for carring more of there programming. Example: Boomerrang without Cartoon Network is .28 per sub, Boomerrang with Cartoon is .05 a sub.
I am a fan of C Band and people like Charlie is doing there best trying to kill it with lie's, etc. so no I don't take Charlie's side in anything. Not to say I wouldn't have there service in some shape, form or fashion. I have had just the superstations, locals, or HBO at sometime or another. I don't have anything from them at the moment. I have StarChoice, FTA and DirecTV and have had c band before moving. I live out in the sticks, it is the only reason I have had Dish or DirecTV at sometime or another.

 

[CPanther95]

Of course it's true - it just has no relevance here. You're stating the obvious, in general terms, then extrapolating that Charlie is lying.

 

[Rlanham]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott Greczkowski
I am actually at a laundymat doing laundry now. However with my new Treo 700w I will log into my homepc and try looking at the guide data with TS Reader.
Maybe he should buy a washer and dryer for the house.

No, his priorities are in the right place. :up

 

[mitchflorida]

why is there a sticky on this discussion?

 

[Chris Walker]

Heads up for anyone that likes Dr Sue, I just saw in the guide where she is on at 2AM Friday. I wonder if this is a live from the west coast show or a rerun of an old show?

 

[cablewithaview]

why is there a sticky on this discussion?

For one, it's been a well discussed topic and two, it helps keeping someone from starting another thread on the same topic if they look here first.

 

[Sarang]

Rerun Chris, check the EPG. Also to the person who made the "looney left" comment on Oxygen's programming, yeah it's REALLY terrible they have two sitcoms that appeal mainly to Black Women. Really TERRIBLE idea to try to include a specific group of women who, to my knowledge, Lifetime ignores.
Hey Cable on C-Band can I get TV Tokyo?

 

[cablewithaview]

Rerun Chris, check the EPG. Also to the person who made the "looney left" comment on Oxygen's programming, yeah it's REALLY terrible they have two sitcoms that appeal mainly to Black Women. Really TERRIBLE idea to try to include a specific group of women who, to my knowledge, Lifetime ignores.
Hey Cable on C-Band can I get TV Tokyo?

contact Lee Richardson @ Mech-Tech, he maybe able to answer that for you. Here is his link: http://mechtech.satforums.com/
I'm not fimilar w/ TV Tokyo?