[opendtv] Re: News: The Real Fight Over Fake News

  • From: John Willkie <johnwillkie@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2008 18:27:30 -0700 (GMT-07:00)

I've never heard the cable companies saying that they "passed the savings on to 
consumers."  Indeed, I do believe there is extensive evidence to the contrary 
on this exact point ...

John Willkie

-----Original Message-----
>From: Adam Goldberg <adam_g@xxxxxxxxx>
>Sent: Jun 8, 2008 7:10 AM
>To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: [opendtv] Re: News: The Real Fight Over Fake News
>
>> With digital cable the cable company can enable/disable channels on 
>> an individual basis via the STB - a critical part of the two-way
>
>Channel authorizations have NOTHING to do with the two-way 'agreement' (if
>there is one).
>
>> the FCC and public interest groups. In essence they have said that 
>> they cannot offer ala carte until every subscriber has a conditional 
>> access box. The fact that DBS cab enable/disable channels on an
>
>Without expressing an opinion on a la carte, I haven't heard this argument
>against it.  What they argue, I think, is that channels are cheaper in
>bundles (for them, and they pass the savings on to you).  
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
>Behalf Of Craig Birkmaier
>Sent: Sunday, June 08, 2008 8:05 AM
>To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: [opendtv] Re: News: The Real Fight Over Fake News
>
>At 10:18 PM -0700 6/7/08, John Willkie wrote:
>>  If you are able to watch at least one channel that should have been 
>>encrypted, that's simply the problem/fault of the cable company.
>
> From time to time the cable companies put HBO or other premium 
>channels in the clear for promotional purposes. Perhaps the clear QAM 
>version was just a promotion where they removed the encryption for a 
>weekend?
>
>>
>>I kind of wonder how cable is able to charge for digital when you 
>>have access to many digital cable channels when you hook up a DTV 
>>receiver to cable.
>
>Actually, when you subscribe to digital cable on most systems you are 
>required to choose one or more tiers, which you typically pay for. 
>With digital cable the cable company can enable/disable channels on 
>an individual basis via the STB - a critical part of the two-way 
>cable agreement. So you do not gain access to the digital channels 
>unless they program the system to allow you to view them.
>
>Cable has used this argument to fend off the ala carte overtures of 
>the FCC and public interest groups. In essence they have said that 
>they cannot offer ala carte until every subscriber has a conditional 
>access box. The fact that DBS cab enable/disable channels on an 
>individual basis but still offers programming packages says volumes.
>
>THEY COULD EASILY offer ala carte but do not. One would think that 
>they would jump on this opportunity as it is a major CURRENT 
>advantage over cable. But they go along with the same bundling 
>schemes because that's what the congloms want, and they make a little 
>more money too.
>
>Regards
>Craig
> 
> 
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