I'm currently a cable subscriber and considering moving to satellite. I just finished looking over the dish network programming line-up for their standard packages and frankly I'm not impressed. If I counted correctly 33 of the 120 channels in the CLASSIC BRONZE 100 PLUS package are radio stations, 20 are sports alternative (whatever that is), there are an additional 30 sports themed channels with themes like sports south, north Ohio sports, etc. and 12 religious themed channels.
I'm not interested in paying to listen to radio stations on TV. I have a lifetime subscription Sirius radio so I don't need to pay for TV radio. I like some sports, but I'm not interested in paying for 50 channels of sports. Maybe some people like that and I have no problem if that is their interest, but it's not mine. Some people like the religious channels - I don't watch them and don't want to pay for them.
The real point is that all TV providers (that I know of) are taking a one-size-fits-all approach to TV programming. The attitude is - here's my 100 channel line-up take it or leave it, if you don't like that here's 250 channels for you take it or leave it. I predict that some day one will be able to pick and choose the channels one wants to watch and is willing to pay for - Would I pay to watch the home shopping network - not on your life. Would I pay to watch CNN yup, how about A&E - yes, so long as their programming remained good. How about the cartoon network - only if I had kids in the house - which I don't.
The cost structure should be such that subscribers only pay for the channels they want to receive, CNN $1/month; cartoon network $.30/month, Home shopping network - they pay you $.20/month, you get the idea. The more popular a network becomes the more money it can charge and the more money it makes. I think this sort of structure will happen some day.
I'm not interested in paying to listen to radio stations on TV. I have a lifetime subscription Sirius radio so I don't need to pay for TV radio. I like some sports, but I'm not interested in paying for 50 channels of sports. Maybe some people like that and I have no problem if that is their interest, but it's not mine. Some people like the religious channels - I don't watch them and don't want to pay for them.
The real point is that all TV providers (that I know of) are taking a one-size-fits-all approach to TV programming. The attitude is - here's my 100 channel line-up take it or leave it, if you don't like that here's 250 channels for you take it or leave it. I predict that some day one will be able to pick and choose the channels one wants to watch and is willing to pay for - Would I pay to watch the home shopping network - not on your life. Would I pay to watch CNN yup, how about A&E - yes, so long as their programming remained good. How about the cartoon network - only if I had kids in the house - which I don't.
The cost structure should be such that subscribers only pay for the channels they want to receive, CNN $1/month; cartoon network $.30/month, Home shopping network - they pay you $.20/month, you get the idea. The more popular a network becomes the more money it can charge and the more money it makes. I think this sort of structure will happen some day.
