I heard a good idea some time ago. What do you think?

[Snotcicles]

The idea was to get a bill through that forces the cable companys to charge it's customers per channel. If you didn't want there packages you could pay for and receive only the networks you want. That would allow you to not pay for CNN FOX or any other network you don't trust. Wow talk about sending a message. Talk about getting some fair and balanced opinions.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

1. I would love it!

I actually watch maybe ten of the channels on my system, and unfortunately, most of them are in the upper tiers, so I have to pay for all the garbage channels to get them.

[dogtag]

3. Same here. I have Cox and they suck.

It's such a damn racket. No competion.

[J6ash]

2. cable bill

that bill would require such massive retooling of the cable delivery system that each channel would cost as much as a premium channel now.
Bzzzt!

[tkmorris]

5. That's just not true

I cannot see any reason that an "a la carte" selection of channels cannot be delivered to individual customers using the delivery system that is already in place. The methods vary a little between the various providers but they have the technology to deliver individualized packages right now with no retooling.

The reasons that cable (and satellite) providers give for not doing this is one of economics. They claim that they get discounted prices from the companies that sell them the programming itself by buying preset packages of channels. In order to effectively provide customers the ability to pick and choose what they purchase the cable companies would need to negotiate for individual channels themselves, which would cost more.

[annabanana]

14. nonsense.....the technology's already there......n/t

[Dark Jedi]

4. I am for it.

"Wow talk about sending a message."

Would this be a mexed missage? LOL :)

[n2mark]

6. Sounds good to me

Would love to tell Fox and CNN I won't waste my money on them.

[Snotcicles]

7. This was my point

All those right wingers love to boycott the advertisers I say boycott bias TV networks. Put our money into the hands of the networks that tell the truth for awhile. Maybe more of them will pop up.

[donkeyotay]

8. I think it's a great idea

I thought rightwringers BELIEVED in the free market.

[timtom]

9. Just my opinion, mind you, but...

the cable companies get paid large sums of money to offer (foist) all those crappy shopping channels. They would have to charge much higher fees to replace all the lost revenue if they catered to people's tastes. (Of course, maybe there are tons of people who really like that sort of thing, and I'm only dreaming that America really has good taste.)

[Kenneth ken]

10. just my opinion, mind you,

but, yeah, you're dreaming, if you think America really has good taste.

I'm sure many people do, have good taste, but I doubt that would constitute a majority. If a majority of tv viewers had good taste, the first "reality show" would have got such bad ratings numbers there never would have been a second.

[timtom]

12. You bet I'm dreaming...

why, just look at the number of Americans who reportedly support this pathetically stupid caricature of a human being and think that he's a christian and a leader.

[Kenneth ken]

13. yeah, that too. n/t

[NoPasaran]

11. On the face of it this sounds like a good idea

But do you really want the cable company to keep records on which channels you actually watch?

[annabanana]

15. woof...like they can't already.. And I'll bet they sell that info

already!