Satellite TV

Why is it that satellite and cable television companies will not sell us just the channels we would like? Why all these crazy packages that come with 5-10 good channels and the rest crap? I know the standing answer is because they make more money that way, but is there some other reason they come in these stupid packages?

Look at the record or CD industry now. People do not have to buy an entire CD, you can purchase just one song if thats all you wish to have.Is it going to take something like free streaming satellite channels to wake these change these companies? I can understand a minimum charge per month and that would be fine to get just the ones I want.

In most cases TV is a waste of time, but there are occassions when I enjoy a good program or movie. Why should I have to buy Christian, Spanish, Food, and womens channels if all I want is History or Discovery and Sci-fi?

I suppose none of this really matters, I was just bored and thought I would gather peoples thoughts on this.

Would you purchase just individual channels of your choice if that were an option for you, or are you happy paying $30-$100 to get the channels you want in a mixed bag of junk channels?

Wow. I am suprised that no one has an opinion on this.

i have an opinion...my opinion is their packages blow ass.
my wife wants me to call them and downgrade from the premium but if i do that, i lose a couple channels that i like to watch and a ton that i don't.

i would absolutely buy channels on a per channel deal if they offered it up.

Originally posted by Daz3d-n-Confus3d
Why is it that satellite and cable television companies will not sell us just the channels we would like?

becuase there are some channels that they know no one wants but they keep them so they can say, "We have 5003 channels!"

reply to post by ucanneverdie


Good point. I was wondering why they have not been regulated as to what they offer. I mean the government has forced big companies to change their business plans before. I believe in supply and demand, just sucks we have to buy all the crap with the stuff we want.
When I go to the grocery store to buy bread, I am not forced to buy lunch meat,spread, mustard, and all the fixings for a sandwich. Why do we put up with these satellite packages? I guess we are all brain washed into thinking we have to have all those channels to live our lives.

When its all said and done I usually only watch 3 or 4 channels anyway. Thats when I have time to sit and watch anything.

Originally posted by Boondock78
i have an opinion...my opinion is their packages blow ass.
my wife wants me to call them and downgrade from the premium but if i do that, i lose a couple channels that i like to watch and a ton that i don't.

i would absolutely buy channels on a per channel deal if they offered it up.

I agree and my husband and I debated downgrading vice just cancelling it altogether. We decided on just getting rid of all of it. All the crap that comes along with those 1 or 2 decent channels just isn't worth it IMO.

I would be more than happy to pay on a per-channel basis

reply to post by ImJaded


i am in a pickle cause i don't work so i do do my fair share of watching tv.
we have the premium package with all the movie channels and dvr and all that.
i think i am going to get rid of all the movie channels except showtime so i can still watch dexter and the mma that has been on.

as for the rest though, if i downgrade to basic cable i will lose my extra discovery channels and such. i like discovery science and the military channel.

our bill comes in at something like $130 a month with high speed net getting 6 megs down..

Yeah I bumped mine down to the family package. It's $19.99 per month plus the $5.00 for my local channels. There isn't much at all on there. It didn't even come with History,Discovery, or Sci-fi. I was pissed. Oh well, guess I don't need them anyway.

I used to work for directv

one of the reasons at least from the script we had to give customers. Was the forced bundles thanks to According to the American Cable Association and network companies.

According to the ACA, big media companies "tie" certain less desirable channels to the "must have" channels. Also the ACA says to get the most "desirable" channels, cable companies are obligated to distribute many other channels. like 10 desired you get like 60 for example.

Also some examples of forced bundles due to FCC filings

so you want Disney Channel
you will usually have to have ABC Family, SoapNet, Toon Disney, ESPN Channels

or for MTV
you usually wind up with some or all of these TV Land, CMT, VH1, Nickelodeon, Noggin, VH1 Soul, CMT Pure Country, MTV Jam

so its all RED TAPE thanks to FCC policy to make it "Fair" to competing networks/small networks/etc, mainly a large plan to make sure all the different companies are treated equally.

Although I would much rather have the choice to hand pick my channels, and there are a few that are able to be chosen by themselves such as outdoor channel can be purchased single on directv for like 3.99/mo or similar (price may have changed).

but bottom line its all about making them rich

reply to post by Daz3d-n-Confus3d

Why should I have to buy Christian, Spanish, Food, and womens channels if all I want is History or Discovery and Sci-fi?

Oh come on now, the food channel is one of the BEST channels you can get. I personaly never miss an episode of Iron Chef, and have you seen Ace of Cakes? That show is pure genius.

Yeah, THAT is a CAKE!

Seriously though, I COMPLETELY agree with you on this one. The only reason I have all the channels I have is because I wanted MTV2 so I could watch the headbangers ball. Now I don't even watch that show.

I should probably go back and look over my plan, because frankly I am not sure what other channels that plan includes.

I would much rather have the option of eliminating the channels I never watch so I can more quickly surf through the ones that I do.

reply to post by MetalSphere


Ok I will give you the Food channel. LOL. I watch it sometimes too

reply to post by Boondock78


I feel you, I'm a lady of leisure right now, not working also but I just can't stand most of what is on TV when I do turn it on lol
I'd like to have the food channel or something more interesting than MTV, BET, VH1 and the like.
They only have certain cable channels to choose from when you're stationed overseas in the military. If these channels are what Americable deem the most popular I stand by my decision to cut it off smh lol

We have just upped our netflix account to the highest one and get all the TV shows (and movies of course) we like out and watch em back to back - the best way to watch I say

i am probably going to drop mine down a bit to the basic package but with showtime. there are lots of fights plus dexter on that channel.
i need my history channel. if i don't get my fix of modern marvels i get cranky.
i think i am going to sign back up with netflix again.

We have just upped our netflix account to the highest one and get all the TV shows (and movies of course) we like out and watch em back to back - the best way to watch I say

This Is why I love netflix. I did the exact same thing with every season of 24 after watching the second half of last season. The same with Heroes (My new favorite show! curse you writer's strike!).

Heck, you really don't need cable, when netflix is so cheep.

reply to post by Daz3d-n-Confus3d


i have Sky but i rarely watch it
but rquire it for my 16MB internet connection i have with them

£29 ($58) isnt to bad a month
4 Mix Kids, Sky mix, Documentries, and Music

i did get documentries for wings but the basterds canceled that channel


I pay so no one has a say in what package i get

I was not aware that Netflix did TV. I am going right now to check that out. I believe I may be able to connect my DVR to my PC. Thanks for the tip folks!
Oh by the way, the DVR is the best invention for TV ever. I never miss 24. Prison Break, or Jericho.