TV --- So Many Choices

Films, TV shows, and books of the 'modern' era
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ken123
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TV --- So Many Choices

Post by ken123 »

I have about 200 Stations on my Cable System, icluding the Premium Movie Channels, all of which I receive. I have so many choices but most of what is on is not only bad, ( not entertaing or informative ) it is also socially/morally contemptible,that I find myself always turning back to TCM or C - Span, especially Book TV. Does anyone else have an opinion on the state of enternment in America today ? :lol:
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movieman1957
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Post by movieman1957 »

"It stinks."

(You Can't Take It With You - 1938)
Chris

"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
klondike

Post by klondike »

> "
movieman1957 wrote:"It stinks."

(You Can't Take It With You - 1938)
"


Ha!

To paraphrase Beetlejuice: "Sympatico, mi hermano!"

Movieman, I, too, have that umbrella dismissal of Capra's skeptical Russian fondly lodged forever in my memory, and as I've mentioned before (back at the Mothership), nearly a decade later, the missus & I still mug at each other, in response to some new idiocy on TV, and intone in the most snobbishly Slavic baritone: "It sti-i-i-inks!"
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moira finnie
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Post by moira finnie »

So, does anybody think that there's any chance that cafeteria style cable choices will ever become a possibility? Certain lobbyists representing the tv industry would probably like this idea to die once again in Congress as it has repeatedly whenever it comes up.

However the often toothless FCC has adopted the findings of a report on violence that came out this week, and there are some who in public life actually acknowledging for once, that depictions of violence on television might just affect those who watch it. There are those who believe that this may give impetus and weight to the repeated calls of diverse groups opposing the inclusion and payment for seriously questionable programming in their cable packages.

Seeing violence on a daily basis blunts the spirit and harms the psychological development of empathy! Paying to support feeding the basest human instincts irks consumers? What's next? The world is round?
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Rusty
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Post by Rusty »

Hello,

Quote from moira...
"So, does anybody think that there's any chance that cafeteria style cable choices will ever become a possibility? Certain lobbyists representing the tv industry would probably like this idea to die once again in Congress as it has repeatedly whenever it comes up."

A couple of months ago on one of those C-Span morning shows, I watched a cable company commander explain the history of "cafeteria style" choice. He said the idea of "cafe style choice" for cable and satellite programming has been around for a while...originally pushed by owners of channels devoted to religious type programming. I have no idea where he got the idea it was mainly owners (and audience) of religion channels as the people most interested in "cafeteria choice". Anyway, he continued...saying, "the number of religion channels and the audience for religion oriented channels was a very small slice of the cable/satellite pie". He added, "cable/ satellite providers had polled their subscribers and determined the majority of people having access to 200 channels wanted all 200 channels". He explained, "subscribers paying up to (and over) 100 dollars a month for programming want the huge variety of programming now available on digital cable and satellite".

After hearing his five minute explanation of..."why cafe style choice is not only a bad idea, but consumers don't want the thing". I laughed heartily. Derisive laugh...you know.

Rusty
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movieman1957
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Post by movieman1957 »

I'm not sure how much chance it has on a practical matter. If each station survived solely on the number of people who subscribed to it instead of the number of households on the system it might bring a different outcome.

Would enough people choose the C-Span or the Biography channel, for example (fill in your own cable channel) on its own?
Chris

"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
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