Nickname: TWC employee

Review: Once again I see America is depending upon the TV to babysit their children. Stop blaming the cable company and start taking control of your responsibilities as a parent. The cable companies do lose money regardless of how much they charge you. The have to pay billions to companies like ESPN to carry that channel on their network.

Date reviewed: Dec 15, 2005 12:29 AM

Nickname: Maria

Review: I find it hard to believe that cable companies will lose money. It's funny how they never mention how much money they make by forcing consumers to pay over $20.00 a month for ABC, CBS, NBC, etc., which we can all get for free. As a start, I'd like to see the cable companies offer a tier of only the cable channels and stop forcing me to pay for stations I can get for free. For me, that's a bigger priority than a la carte.

Date reviewed: Dec 13, 2005 1:31 AM

Nickname: cabn877

Review: I think that the FCC is just trying to find another way to control what people watch. My children watch all of the cartoon channels and I tell them what they can watch on say MTV or another one of those channels. I think that trying to make us pay for the channels we want and not as a whole is just plain dumb and controlling.

Date reviewed: Dec 13, 2005 12:57 AM

Nickname: Mr Clean

Review: It is totally reprehensible and beyond reason that this should even be an issue. That these producers who act like and think that they are good or honorable men would produce such low-life trash and then expect America and the rest of the world to think that they are honorable. They produce garbage for young impressionable minds and pervert them and that is justifiable? I think not.

Date reviewed: Dec 12, 2005 11:55 PM

Nickname: Yvonne

Review: I agree with the FCC. I am appalled at the direction television is going. I remember when swear words of any kind were blipped. Are we teaching our children that these words are acceptable? Also sex is taking over the screen. Get these actors out of the bed and stop teaching children permissive sex is ok.

Date reviewed: Dec 12, 2005 10:27 PM

Nickname: snarf

Review: Why should it cost more to pick my own channels? I can remember as a child when my family had the old "satellite dish," that took up the whole back yard, it was cheaper for my parents to pick their own channels than to buy a package. Granted, it was not that much cheaper, a couple of bucks, but it was cheaper. You can bet your last dollar the "cable company" will charge more than a few bucks for choosing your own channels. Oh, and who is the FCC to tell me what I can view on my own tube?

Date reviewed: Dec 12, 2005 9:50 PM

Nickname: Jules

Review: Interesting comments. From my family point of view, I know I can (and do) change the channel - or better, turn off the tube - at things that are offensive to me. I like the a la carte option because it allows me to pay for only what I want in the house. I am not concerned with what other people watch - that's their decision, not mine. I just hate paying for things that I won't use.

Date reviewed: Dec 2, 2005 4:32 AM

Nickname: Gregg

Review: Have to agree with the FCC. The "just turn the channel off" argument really doesn't work. Why is cable TV different than the magazine business? If I order Time magazine should I be forced to pay for getting Playboy, Guns & Ammo and Cosmopolitan? Cable TV companies can easily block the channels that a consumer doesn't want to receive (six cooking channels, five shopping channels, etc.) -- except they want you to pay for that blocking service by paying for the whole bundle. These bundles and price increases are getting out of hand. No competition...the consumer should have a choice!

Date reviewed: Dec 2, 2005 3:39 AM

Nickname: Lars

Review: Americans watch too much TV anyway. Is our life really so unfulfilling that we need to spend several hours a week watching other people pretend to live theirs? Either way, I don't like the idea of government choosing what is appropriate for me and my family. I do like, however, that at least someone puts some pressure on the media industry to clean up its act. I have a remote and use it, but I can't turn off the effect and influence of the culture around me, no matter how degenerate it becomes.

Date reviewed: Dec 1, 2005 3:43 AM

Nickname: McQ

Review: A la carte? Just another revenue stream for a cable company. Want it? You'll have to rent a box, pay for the "navigation" (channel guide) software and remote control -- every month. Pricing? They'll figure it out. Your short list of channels will cost similar to the "regular" bundle of channels. Cable execs complaining about "required a la carte" complain about anything that is not their idea. Small channels get pounded by a la carte? Doubtful. Consider the pricing scheme the companies will use. Most subs won't switch because the cost will be similar to "regular" cable. What's not for the companies to like? It's an unregulated level of service. Difficulty in billing? Hmmm. Considering a customer is worth about $3000+ each when a system sells or "changes control." Companies recover their costs the same way they always do -- with annual rate changes. Small cable systems may get a pass on a la carte, but the MSOs can make money either way.

Date reviewed: Nov 30, 2005 10:45 PM