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Suit Seeks 'A La Carte' TV Channel Choices
An anonymous reader writes "A breathtaking lawsuit was filed this week against every major player in the 'for-pay' television industry. Every major broadband and cable company in the US was named in the federal suit, which seeks the right to obtain content piecemeal rather than in the large (and expensive) packages that cable companies offer as the only option right now. This follows closely on the heels of encouraging comments from the FCC chair that he supports this kind of service. 'The complex web of contractual arrangements among service providers and networks amounts to a monopoly or cartel that has "deprived consumers of choice, caused them to pay inflated prices for cable television and forced them to pay for cable channels they do not want and do not watch," [antitrust lawyer Maxwell M. Blecher] wrote in the complaint filed on behalf of cable subscribers in several states. The complaint, which alleges a conspiracy to monopolize as well as violations of federal antitrust laws, names nine plaintiffs, but Blecher wants the U.S. District Court to certify it as a class action.'"
Networks like Discovery DEMAND that the lesser channels of theirs also be carried and forced upon the viewers and subscribers. Lots of Content networks do this to ensure their lesser and crap channels get viewership.
They need to start there making it illegal for networks to demand that if you want to carry or subscribe to XYZ channel you do not have to get DEF and the crappy ZBZ channel as well.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
digital cable boxes can do alacarte Tv channels right now.
Not true. Cable companies offer packages of channels. They carefully separate their "money maker" channels (sports, movies, documentaries) into different packages. If you want the local stations, they're on the basic package. If you also want the sports channels, you have to buy the bronze package. If you also want, say, the Discovery channel... no you can't just add one channel. You have to upgrade to the silver package. No, you can't trade off the golf channel and the knitting channel to get the Discovery channel. If you want the Turner Classic Movies channel, you need to get the gold package.
Actually, it's even worse than that. The cable companies will put stuff like the Discovery channel and the History channel into separate packages. They've got it set up so that if you want all the "hot" sports channels, or all the "hot" entertainment channels, or all the "hot" documentary channels, you have to get the premium package.
There was a company here in Toronto called Look. They used to offer a la carte channel selection about four or five years ago. They abandoned it "for technical reasons", and have gone to the combo platter style of channel lineup. (Look also used a microwave broadcast system rather than cable. You had to be within line of sight of one of their repeater antennae.)
When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
You're really totally off, some channels aren't subsidized by other channels, this ala carte pricing scheme already exists here in Canada, and is pretty popular. You can check out http://www.mts.ca/ MTS TV. The 'geek' channels cost the same amount as all the other channels, which is proof that they are not being propped up by the 'popular' channels in some way. The bottom line is, by having a tiered setup, cable companies make a lot more money, they are NOT being forced into it by content providers. Interestingly, the expensive channels such as playboy, and the extreme niche channels cost the same amount on MTS TV as they do at the traditional cable company (who still have a tiered setup).
Of course. BUT, if you look at the rates for C-band which is a la carte you will discover that news, sports, adult material and current entertainment channels are MUCH more expensive than routine Discover channel, TV show rerun, etc channels. Ask not who pays the ridiculous salaries of top athletes -- you and I do when we send our monthly check to DishTV or Comcast -- even if we skip over ESPN when surfing up the dial. So, if all you care about is cheap stuff, the six channels you want plus your basic connect fee may well save a fair amount of money.
My guess is that some customers will pay more, some less. I imagine that the cable companies will fiddle things so that they make a bit more money, not less. But some consumers really will be winners as well.
***Can I sue the grocery store for refusing to sell me one egg?***
I dunno. Is it a licensed Public Utlilty? If it is, what does it's license say about what services it must provide and how it must provide them? Maybe a court or your relevant PUC actually CAN tell them to sell you one egg.
You can't see ANYTHING from a car, You've got to get out of the goddamned contraption and walk...Edward Abbey
Illegal. See FCC regulations on this.
Call your local Board of Public Utilities or other agency as appropriate. That sounds illegal, but local laws vary, especially when it comes to apartment buildings.