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Cablevision Suing Viacom Over Cable Bundling

Posted by timothy on from the but-the-m-comes-with-the-tv dept.

aws910 points to an L.A. Times article which explains that "Cablevision (a huge cable network) is suing Viacom (owner of MTV, Nickelodeon, etc), alleging that Viacom is violating U.S. federal anti-trust laws by requiring programming packages to be bundled. If they are victorious, it would be a tiny step closer to 'a la carte cable,' but not much — Cablevision just wants to make their own bundles, and not give the customer the freedom to choose which channels they get. Where can I get my "Kill your TV" bumper sticker?" The thing I care more about buying separately is no-TV internet service, which the major cable companies seem reluctant to admit is even possible.

2 of 138 comments (clear)

  1. Re:reluctant? by CohibaVancouver · · Score: 3, Insightful

    my younger friends (in their 20's) not only don't have POTS phone service anymore (its all cell phones) but they don't subscribe to tv packages, either. they get a data connection, they download what they want and that's that.

    Do they pay for the content they download? If not, in 20 years, when those 20 somethings are 40 somethings, who is going to generate the content?

  2. There needs to be a class action lawsuit by Cutting_Crew · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Question To Providers: "Why can't I just pay for each individual program that i want to watch or opt to buy a seasonal package of shows/channels from you at a discounted price?
    Providers: Well see the channels that we subsidize wouldn't last and go under.
    Question to Providers: Why is that my problem?
    Providers: ........