Comments on: A la carte TV

FCC and some TV distributors say it makes sense, but some cable companies and content providers say it is too expensive.

[Maggie Reardon]

What about selling bundles and a la carte?

I think the industry has misunderstood what consumers are asking for. No one is saying that bundles should go away entirely. I think what supporters of a la carte pricing want is the option to buy certain channels instead of an entire package. Some people may only watch 10 channels of programming. If they can get what they want to watch for less than what they pay to subscribe to a standard cable package with 100 additional channels they don't want, they'd probably do it. If the a la carte option costs the same or more as the cable package, they'd likely stick with the package. At the end of the day, this debate is really about cable operators and content providers giving viewers more choice. I don't understand how giving customers more options choices hurts their business models.

[Earl Benser]

It's an idea....

The cable and satellite people don't want to overly complicate
their business models - raises operating costs - but if there
really is a serious demand among the viewing audience for some
sort of a la carte selections, it will show up. So far, there seems
to be little serious interest.

As your article says, AT&T (ex-SBC) and Verizon (ex-managers),
among others, are considering the idea. I'd suggest that you sit
back and see what the market creates. That's the only way it's
going to happen.

[Bong Dizon]

Remember the "long-tail"

These cable tv execs clearly have not heard about the "long tail", or they refuse to accept it because their business models will not work in the one-to-one media/distribution model of the future. With more video content showing up on iTunes and the coming of IPTV, the days of this type of content distribution are numbered.

[208774626618253979477959487856]

go TV!

http://www.analogstereo.com/bmw_3_owners_manual.htm

[Earl Benser]

This guy is a real Dweeb....

... can't say anything intelligent and keeps posting irrelevant links. I
wonder if his older brother knows that Andy is messing with the
computer again????

[TVToy]

Follow the moola

The big majority of channels go mostly unwatched... the big
channels underwrite the smaller ones ? and pay their way - and
it allows cable to offer "bundles" to the ad buyers as well: We'll
sell you this, and we'll throw-in this and that channel for "free."

It drives up costs to the viewer (cable bill) and to the sponsers
who then raises the price of the product. We (as consumers) get
hit twice. (and no one sees the ads)

In fact, all this probably supports many of the professional
sports teams. How else can they pay these people, since many of
the seats are empty at the pro games.

A LA CARTE TV will never happen. It robs too many people of the
moola at the trough.

[mw503mw]

I used to work in the cable industry and ala carte cable is conceivable to where costs can be contained. I recall the time soon after when ESPN was awarded the NFL broadcast rights for $$$ and the cost was passed on the consumer within a short period of time. We had approximately 50,000 subscribers in the local franchise and what was once Monday Night Football on on-air ABC became the driver of an increase to monthly cable rates for the entire year. Isn't the football season about 6-months long? I know it ends in late Jnauary to early February, August to February is only 7-months and we now pay for 12.