Last one out, Turn off the Lights! - Cable TV

[JourneyOfLife]

Cord Cutters And The Death Of TV - Business Insider (http://www.businessinsider.com/cord-cutters-and-the-death-of-tv-2013-11)




Even though cable TV has had its worst year ever, cable TV revenues are still rising because companies are charging the dwindling number of customers more in subscription fees. According to analysts Craig Moffett and Michael Nathanson, those higher prices are "part of the problem" that pushes out poor subscribers — losing the TV business even more eyeballs:

"Of course, the fact that pay-TV revenue is still rising smartly is part of the problem ... We have always argued that cord-cutting is an economic phenomenon, not a technological one. ... Pay-TV revenue growth reflects rapid pay-TV pricing growth and that is precisely the problem. Rapidly rising prices are squeezing lower-income consumers out of the ecosystem."


I'll put it in my words: what I get, is not worth the amount of money it costs! Customers are price sensitive for discretionary services... especially underused discretionary services!

We do not watch enough cable channels to make it worth $60 to $100/mo. Especially when 2/3 of what we watch is broadcast over the air on the major networks. Back to the Future!

Plus thier tactics are offensive to many customers... additional motivation to drop the service! They have the reputation of the Car dealers (used and new):

1) Charge one person more than another for the same product (compared to the people next door).
2) Change the deal! Now it costs more! Continue to raise prices every year for programming and equipment. Not talking about the new customer incentive!
3) Forcing customers off of analog cable TV to Digital TV to increase their revenue and profits.
4) Forcing channels on subscribers (channel bundles) they never watch to subsidize certain channels.

[leftyf]

I feel it should be against the law to charge for any channel that has commercials. They are already getting paid by the advertisers. I'll just watch the over the air channels.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

So what's the alternative if you want to watch television and the shows that you enjoy are not on the major networks?

[JourneyOfLife]

Streaming! Look at Amazon Instant. Chances are TV shows are available shortly after it was initially released.

It is a little pricey per episode. But, so are all the packages it would take to buy cable, showtime, HBO, Starz, etc.

For most of those shows we have decided timing is not an issue, we can wait till many of those show are available on netflix (Stream or DVD).

For the few shows that have to be seen right away... Amazon Instant!

[TrudyM]

As streaming services become more widely available and smart TV's or Tv's with crome or other devices allow easer streaming of content I think cable TV will die but my concern is that when it does the price of fast internet which is required for streaming content will go up as it is provided by the same companies now providing cable. One town in our area voted to put in T1 connections and free internet as part of their utilities but my town voted it down I now wish we hadn't. Where I live the only decent internet is with Comcast not too expensive yet but will be.
We have been streaming Comcast content as we are down here renting and something is weird with the century link dish Tv the sound doesn't track with the show and it keeps pixalating. Now that I have used it I am thinking of checking out streaming services other than Comcast and just keeping my Comcast internet when I go home. Anybody use one they like?

[zcaveman]

I am happy with Comcast and see no problems with what I pay for what I get. I was very upset when they encrypted their signal and we had to get DTA boxes for our "simple" TVs but I do not think any other service offers a unencrypted cable link anymore. With Dish/Direct you need a box for each TV. There was an article about it in yesterday's or today's Daily Sun (1/5 or 1/6) about why Comcast's encrypted their service.

I hate to say it but it was all due to the government intervention with something they should have never been involved with. Kind of like the light bulbs we are now forced to buy.

Z

[JourneyOfLife]

I am happy with Comcast and see no problems with what I pay for what I get. I was very upset when they encrypted their signal and we had to get DTA boxes for our "simple" TVs but I do not think any other service offers a unencrypted cable link anymore. With Dish/Direct you need a box for each TV. There was an article about it in yesterday's or today's Daily Sun (1/5 or 1/6) about why Comcast's encrypted their service.

I hate to say it but it was all due to the government intervention with something they should have never been involved with. Kind of like the light bulbs we are now forced to buy.

Z

Don't forget the lights! ;)

[donb9006]

As streaming services become more widely available and smart TV's or Tv's with crome or other devices allow easer streaming of content I think cable TV will die but my concern is that when it does the price of fast internet which is required for streaming content will go up as it is provided by the same companies now providing cable. One town in our area voted to put in T1 connections and free internet as part of their utilities but my town voted it down I now wish we hadn't. Where I live the only decent internet is with Comcast not too expensive yet but will be.
We have been streaming Comcast content as we are down here renting and something is weird with the century link dish Tv the sound doesn't track with the show and it keeps pixalating. Now that I have used it I am thinking of checking out streaming services other than Comcast and just keeping my Comcast internet when I go home. Anybody use one they like?

Now you're using your noggin! As they lose business in one area...they increase profits in another to keep making money. Internet will keep going up, they'll use the excuse that they're giving you more bandwidth and that costs more for them...well, not really...is your new computer MUCH faster than your old one? Did it cost much more? Didn't think so. Comm routing equipment is just like all computing equipment, the abilities go up but the price doesn't. They raise prices because they know you'll THINK they need to...to "keep up" increasing speed...they don't. It mearly offsets their cable profit losses. They still make plenty from cable. The day they don't...the government will pass some law so they do.

One town had honest politicians...yours were on the take from Comcast. Comcast did or threatened something and your town "leaders" took the bait. Kinda the same as when you're all on water restrictions and they approve another subdivision or golf course. Graft...aint it grand?

I am happy with Comcast and see no problems with what I pay for what I get. I was very upset when they encrypted their signal and we had to get DTA boxes for our "simple" TVs but I do not think any other service offers a unencrypted cable link anymore. With Dish/Direct you need a box for each TV. There was an article about it in yesterday's or today's Daily Sun (1/5 or 1/6) about why Comcast's encrypted their service.

I hate to say it but it was all due to the government intervention with something they should have never been involved with. Kind of like the light bulbs we are now forced to buy.

Z

Money money money...someone got paid to force the switch from incadescent to CFL/LED. There's much more profit in manuacturing CFL/LED over incadescent. Whenever the government gets involved it's due to graft. quid pro quo

[TrudyM]

[QUOTE=donb9006;807015]
One town had honest politicians...yours were on the take from Comcast. Comcast did or threatened something and your town "leaders" took the bait.

Actually in Washington we are referendum fanatics. You get signatures and it goes on the ballot then if it isn't followed up on by the politicians they are in the situation of having to explain why they didn't follow through with what the people voted for. Sometimes it creates change sometimes it doesn't. In the case of the internet access proposal the neighboring town voted for it so all school kids would have internet at home. Our town voted it down so we didn't get it.

[alanmcdonald]

I would cut the cable for local TV but I live on ESPN and other live sports (NASCAR) and I don't know where else to find that.

Anyone have a suggestion?

[Villager Audio Video]

ESPN is pay to play. Cable or satellite TV subscription is required.

[JourneyOfLife]

ESPN is pay to play. Cable or satellite TV subscription is required.

Yes. ESPN is expensive. Quite a number of subscribers do not watch the programming, yet subsidize those that do.

It is owned by Disney.

ESPN’s average monthly price is more than four times the monthly fee for the next most expensive national network.

“There is no regulation that says, ‘Wait a minute, is it mathematically positive, or reasonable, for 75 million who don’t want ESPN to pay for the 25 percent who do, at a false price?’ ” said Barry Diller, the media executive who is backing the technology of a company called Aereo that streams broadcast channels online and is viewed as a challenge to cable.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/27/sports/ncaafootball/to-defend-its-empire-espn-stays-on-offensive.html?_r=0