How about it?

[chalcedony]

Dear Cablevision,

If I give back all seven Spanish-language channels, can I pleeeeze have BBC America without paying you an extra $55 per month?

Love,
Chalcedony

Comments

[thistlethorn.livejournal.com]

Of course not, silly person. How do you think we make our money? By giving people what they actually want for a reasonable price? WRONG.
Thank You For Choosing Cablevision!

*aaargh*

We do pretty well with DISH network (satellite TV) here, but it's still the same bullshit.
You know which company would clean up? The company that offered a completely customizable TV channel experience at a reasonable rate. Don't need or want sports, Spanish-language, religion, or music channels? Don't get/pay for them. Want nothing BUT sports? Fine.

Never gonna happen until it becomes lucrative for them, or whenever digital availability starts putting these tired old monopolies out of business.

[chalcedony.livejournal.com]

Someone tried to mansplain to me the other day why this would not be economically feasible for the cable companies. But really, if many people head for the Internet or satellite, that will be bad for cable also, right? All I want is a choice.

[thistlethorn.livejournal.com]

Guess what, Mr. Mansplainer: it IS feasible. If they and the channels worked at it, they could do it. But instead they make these stupid "rules," the same way that the cell phone companies do, that benefit only them and not the customer.

It's bullshit.

And I agree--people are going to the Internet (and to pirac y) in droves. Give people what they want, customizable, at a great price? They'd happily stay w/cable.